Jackson Junior 11: One More Time
by drgemini86
Summary: Set a year after Past and Present, Daniel attracts trouble when he offers Sam the greatest gift imaginable. Meanwhile, a new Doctor starts work at the mountain. SamDaniel, CamVala, Teal'cIsh'ta, JonasCarolyn, JackSara, ShWeir. HouseAtlantisWho crossover
1. Cookie Dough and Crispie Cakes

Jackson Junior: One More Time

_**Jackson Junior: One More Time**__****_

Summary: _Set a year after Past and Present, Daniel attracts trouble when he offers Sam the greatest gift imaginable. Meanwhile, a new Doctor begins work at the mountain. SamDaniel, CamVala, etc. HouseAtlantisWho crossover_

_**Pairings: **__SamDaniel, CamVala, Teal'cIsh'ta, JackSara, JonasCarolyn, CassieOC, ShWeir, McCarson, Lornifer, ChaseCameron, WilsonCameron, HouseStacy (retrospective)_

_**Rating: **__M_

_**Crossover: **__House M.D., Stargate: Atlantis, Doctor Who (ten)_

_**Category: **__Established Relationship_

_**Genres: **__Action/Adventure, Angst, A/U, Crossover, Family-focussed, Hurt/Comfort, PWP, Relationship-focussed, Romance-focussed, SongFic_

_**Warnings: **__Sex, childbirth, gory surgery, swearing, shooting, torture (wow, these should be genres)_

_**Spoilers: **__everything that's been in the JJ series so far… SG-1 seasons 1-10, the films, Atlantis seasons 1-4, and anything that is and isn't canon in House, and some Doctor Who. lol_

_**Series: **__11 of quite possibly 12. Preceded by Jackson Junior: Past and Present_

_**Timeline: **__starts in season 16 (2013)_

_**A/N: **__like in Past and Present, Separated, and Commanders, italics delimited by apostrophes denote telepathic conversation between our favourite twosome_

_House is a medical drama set in New Jersey starring Hugh Laurie as an anti-social genius of a doctor, with a Vicodin addiction paralleling Sherlock Holmes' addiction to Cocaine. Stateside, it's on Fox; Britside it's on Five, Five US and Hallmark. It's not something to be missed – Laurie is hysterical and there is a lot of solid, thoroughly researched medical knowledge weaved in. There are some pretty amazing episode guides for it on Wikipedia if you want to read up._

_**Reviews: **__Yes, please! Reviews are great for so many reasons, mainly to let me know whether or not you liked what I've written, whether or not it made sense, and whether or not I'm going the right way. _

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam smiled slightly as she stirred the contents of a big bowl with a wooden spoon as James, his blonde hair a little darker than before, stood on a chair near her in the kitchen, saying, his cerulean eyes catching the light,

"Please Mommy… can I taste it? Please?"

Her smile grew even wider on seeing the younger Jackson pouting like his father, turning a puppy dog look on her. She cocked her head as she looked at him, replying, an eyebrow rising briefly as her smile remained,

"James, if you eat it now, there won't be any left for the cookies."

The little boy pleaded with her as she resumed stirring. "But _Mommy_… if I don't taste it and it's yucky, your cookies are gonna taste yucky…" When she looked at him challengingly, he added with a sweet smile, "Your cookies are never yucky."

"Did you finish reading the Greek Daddy left you?"

He shook his head and replied, pouting again, "Yeah. I wanted to read Sumerian with Cammie but she's at Francis' house."

Noticing the pout and sensing him feeling blue, she said as she stopped stirring once again, "James, you could have gone with Daddy and Uncle Jack, or Uncle Cam if you'd asked. You said you wanted to draw the Pantheon."

He shook his head, tears in his eyes as he looked ready to stamp his foot, replied, "But I didn't know I was gonna finish early!"

He began to cry and she, her chest hurting a little on seeing him upset, wiped her hands and picked him up off the chair, sitting down with him on her lap. She asked as she held him close, running her fingers through his soft hair as he sniffled against her shoulder,

"Junior, come on, aren't you having fun with Mommy?" She looked down at him with a little smile, kissing his cheek, "I'll let you have some cookie dough if you dry your eyes and help me spoon the cookies out onto the sheet."

He nodded, sniffing, and eventually smiled. Smiling at him, she dried his eyes and lifted him up as she stood, remarking as he began to giggle, rubbing his nose with hers affectionately, "Oh! You're getting too heavy for Mommy now. Maybe I shouldn't let you have any cookie dough."

He pouted again, saying in protest as she set him down on the chair again, "But you have to!"

She picked up the spoon again. "Why?"

"'cos you promised!"

"Uh-uh, young man, I didn't say the p-word."

He grinned at her and said, "You're silly."

She held the bowl, remarking with a raised eyebrow, "Well… if I'm silly, my cookie dough might be icky and you don't like icky cookies, do you?"

"Ok, ok! You're not silly! Can I have some cookie dough?"

He then took to staring at her, his eyes wide and she rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, "Jackson through-and-through…"

She remarked, tickling his stomach as he giggled, "Just like with Daddy, I can't say no those eyes and you know it, don't you?"

She ruffled his hair and said, helping him down from the chair, "Come on, Junior, you've got to wash your hands. You know, I'm going to miss you and your sister when you start school next month."

As she helped him wash his hands, he said, excited, "I can't wait. Daddy said school's amazing."

She smiled slightly, replying as she looked down at him, "It is. You like learning new things… and they do that at school. And drawing too."

He beamed as she helped him dry his hands, and she said, ruffling his hair again, "Come on, sweetie, we've still got the chocolate cornflake crispies to make."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam walked through the front door of the Carter-Jackson residence, holding an ebullient Francis over his shoulder, and holding Cammie's hand as he said, seeing Sam, "Hey, guess what _your_ Junior did."

Sam, dreading something she hadn't even thought of yet, asked, looking a little scared as Francis beamed at her, "What was it this time?"

Cammie held her mother around her knees and said, her voice muffled, "Uncle Cam said I'm not allowed to climb trees."

As Sam smoothed the little girl's head, James hugging a now doubly amused Cam's legs and grinning up at him, Cam remarked with a half serious glare as Cammie looked up at him, "That wasn't all and you know it."

Sam hid a smile as Cammie whined sullenly, "It's not my fault."

"It's not your fault that you used your slingshot on our neighbour's cat?!"

Sam looked at Cam in disbelief and then kneeled, saying to Cammie, sternly, "Cameron, what have I told you about using slingshots?! And on cats too… what happened to the little girl who felt sorry for Sylvester? Hand it over."

As an amused Cam set Francis down, noticing the smell of cookies and chocolate and launching a reconnaissance mission on the kitchen, Sam held her hand out and raised an eyebrow at the little girl when she pouted. When the boys followed Cam, James excitedly talking a mile a minute, Cammie reluctantly put a catapult in her mother's outstretched hand. Sam, inwardly intrigued at its handmade construction, said,

"And the peashooter."

"But Mom!"

"Cameron!"

Cammie's shoulders slumped in defeat and she reached into the front pocket of her dungarees, pulling out a peashooter. Sam sighed, and remarked, tidying up the little girl's bunches,

"I don't mind you climbing trees but harming animals and people is something you shouldn't do."

"He started it!"

Confused, Sam asked, "Who?"

"Sprinkles. He tried to hurt Francis."

Sam sighed again and said, taking her hand and stowing the confiscated weapons away, "I think Daddy needs a word with you. Come on, let's get some cookies before Uncle… "

She blinked in surprise, amused on seeing Cam, Francis and James all turn 'rabbit-in-car-headlights' looks on her, each one of them in the process of eating cookies and chocolate crispies, crumbs and chocolate around their mouths. She quickly took a photo of the sight before exclaiming, gently hitting Cam's hand,

"Mitchell!"

Cam, still eating a cookie, remarked, feigning innocence, "What? There were cookies and crispies… and no sign or force field."

As she helped Cammie to wash her hands, Sam said, "Well, at least leave some for the others…" She glanced around the kitchen as she dried Cammie's hands, "Hey, where's Vala?"

Cam replied, cheekily taking another cookie and handing some to James, Francis and Cammie, "Oh… she's gone baby shopping with Carolyn. I'd've gone, but it's not just one pregnant woman… it's two."

Sam shook her head slightly, smiling as she put some cookies and crispies on a big plate, leading the children into the lounge as she remarked, "The great Colonel Mitchell, who's seen a _lot_, to deliberately understate things considering present company, is scared of pregnant women?"

She said as Cammie and James sat on the couch with Francis, carefully placing the plate on the older children's knees as Cam handed cups of juice to the children, "Careful with that, ok? And make sure Francis chews properly."

Cammie and James nodded, and Cam replied as the General stood up, joining him in the kitchen as he fiddled with the coffeemaker, "Well… they get all emotional and… ok, I am scared. It's nice she's got some pregnant company though."

Sam remarked, reaching into a cupboard for some mugs, "They'll bring home Bloomingdale's between them…"

"I think you'll find Vala's exceptionally frugal when she wants to be."

"_When_ she wants to be."

He glared at her for a moment and then asked, "So… how's things?"

She replied with a shrug, "They're ok… the new CMO's starting at the end of this week. He's one of the best diagnosticians in the country."

"Have you met him yet?"

She shook her head and replied, "Just got some references from the hospital that he works at… Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. He's a character, I'll give you that, but he gets results."

He remarked sceptically, "When you say _character…_"

She smiled slightly. "He's got an attitude problem. His former boss said that she had to set aside half of his department's budget for legal cases involving him."

He frowned in confusion. "And we're getting him… _why_?"

"Because he's a legend."

"A legend for being sued the most or…?"

"He's a medical genius. In our work, we need that… people who can very easily think outside of their comfort zone."

"Right…"

She shrugged as he poured out the coffee. "You can be there when he comes. They wouldn't have kept him at Princeton Plainsboro if he was bad at his job."

"Alright… you're the General…"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Later on, as Sam set the table for dinner for seventeen with Cam's help, Daniel and Jack came home with the youngest three of the Carter-Jackson brood. Sam and Cam smiled as Jack did a deadpan impression of Homer Simpson, sniffing the air appreciatively,

"Mmm… cookies…"

Sam and Daniel kissed, Sam asking silently as she kneeled to hug her youngest children, '_How was the zoo?_'

'_Great… It didn't feel too weird not talking to you constantly._'

'_Hmm, I know… maybe because there's no doubt anymore._'

'_Or we just wanted to be remotely normal… huh, normal… right…_'

She smiled and asked as Grace clung onto her, "Did you enjoy your day out with Uncle Jack?"

As Jack, with Cam and Daniel's help, located the cookies and the chocolate crispies, including the batches that she'd hidden having expected a O'Neill-Mitchell-Jackson collaborative attack on the bakery items, Grace replied in a breathless whisper,

"We saw'd lions and tigers and…"

Jack said from behind Sam, him and Daniel chewing cookies and sporting twin looks of innocence, "Don't forget bears, Gracie."

As Sam smiled in amusement at her former CO's ability to hear the quietest of things, she smoothed Claire and Jake's cheeks as they talked excitedly over each other, showing her what Jack had got them from the gift shop. Sam, dismayed, said as she stood up, holding Grace in her arms,

"Jack, you'll spoil them."

Jack looked at Daniel and remarked, both of them moving onto the crispies, "Your wife… she hasn't figured out that I ignore her most of the time, has she?"

Daniel smirked innocently at Sam who raised an eyebrow at him, and Sam said, looking at Jack, Cam and Daniel as she gave the twins some cookies, helping Grace eat a crispie, "Seeing as we're waiting for Sara, Jonas… Teal'c, Carolyn, Vala, and Cassie…"

'_Where's Vala?_'

'_Baby shopping with Carolyn._'

'_Ah…_'

"… you can have…"

'_And Teal'c and Jonas?_'

'_The SGC._'

'_Right._'

"… a few but don't go nuts, boys."

Jack grumbled as he snatched another cookie, "_Boys_?? I used to be _General_ O'Neill…"

Sam smiled and went back to laying the table with Cam's help, and Daniel, finishing off his cookie, joined in as he asked, "Where are Cammie and James?"

Sam chuckled as Cam replied, "Well… Calamity is out climbing trees and shooting cats again… and Jimmy Osmond's teaching Francis how to take rubbings."

As Jack smirked, Daniel asked, surprised, "_Shooting cats_?! Didn't we take her slingshot and peashooter away?"

Sam remarked, exhaling, "She made them again. Damn stubborn Jackson. Speaking of which… James got teary about being home alone with Daddy-slash-Mommy."

Daniel, concerned, raised a hand to stop Jack making a crude remark, and he said, "He wanted to draw."

"Oh yeah. He finished that and his Greek. He was alright afterwards though – he helped me make the cookies, crispies and…" She raised an eyebrow at Jack and smiled, "… pies."

Cam looked surprised and a stunned Jack, remarking, "Pies?! Pies?! Why didn't…" He looked at Cam accusingly, the Colonel shrugging, and Sam replied with a shrug as Grace played with her hair,

"I didn't make General by not being prepared for at least _most_ situations."

As Daniel and Cam watched the exchange like a tennis match, smirking all the while, Jack shot back, "You could have done it by ear like me."

"Right. Anywho…"

Sam was interrupted by the sound of her mobile ringing in her pocket, and she answered it as Cam picked Claire up and slipping out to get the other children from outside, "Jackson." She glanced at Daniel and Jack, the latter picking Jake up. "Cassie?! Um… sure, yeah, you know me, hopeless with food quantities. Great… no, we're still waiting for about six more… Great! I'll see you later, ok?"

Daniel smiled as Sam, grinning, disconnected, putting the phone back in her pocket, and he remarked as he smoothed her cheek, having heard the conversation in his head, "So much for five years."

She leaned into his touch, gazing at him as she replied, "Give the girl credit – it's four."

Jack, watching them with jaded interest, remarked wearily, "Come on, the suspense is killing me here. I'm not Daniel… if I die, I stay dead… although there was _one_ time…"

Sam and Daniel, the latter's arm around the former's waist, replied in unison before grinning at each other, "Cassie's bringing a plus one."

Jack frowned slightly and then asked, gesturing with a hand, "Oh… blond, about yea high, helping _Uncle_ Mitchellfiddle with his car on your wedding day?"

Daniel looked amused as Sam replied, amused too, "Yep. It sounds like her and Simon are back on."

"Well… if she's serious, really serious, it means I've got to get him clearance."

Daniel remarked with a shrug, "Either that or she's going to be not telling him the whole truth."

Jack made a noncommittal gesture and then asked, bouncing a dribbling Jake in his hold, "So… pies?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A little later, with eighteen people in total around the kitchen table, the kitchen bustling with various conversations; and squeals, shouts and laughter from the children, Daniel asked silently, Grace is in his lap as he ate, all the while talking to Jack and Teal'c,

'_I don't know why we don't use the dining room. We have a perfectly good one._'

'_There's something nice about dining together in the kitchen… like a family. At least I moved the dining table here earlier. Can you imagine everyone fitting around the kitchen table?_'

'_We've done it before._'

'_Those were funny times._'

She looked around the table at a pregnant Vala and an equally pregnant Carolyn, her eyes eventually falling on Cassie sat next to her fair-haired plus one, her on-off boyfriend, Simon Brookes. Sam smiled, still talking to Sara.

'_Daniel, look at those two!_'

She glanced at Daniel, seeing his little smile as he caught her eye. '_I know. They seem a little more… I don't know… mature than before. They're definitely in love though._'

'_Maybe he feels like he's at her parents' house._'

'_Oh… Janet would have embarrassed him rotten but she would have loved him._'

'_Definitely. Oh, Daniel… do you remember when we were so young and… well, just like that?_'

'_Um… no, seeing as we only got together when we were forty-two._'

She nonchalantly stamped on her own foot and smiled as she blocked out the pain at her end, noticing Daniel trying very hard not to react as the Jacks, Teal'c, Cam and Jonas smirked.


	2. Proposal

Later, after everyone had gone home, the children in bed, Sam said with a sigh as she and Daniel cleared up, "I miss having Ca

Later, after everyone had gone home, the children in bed, Sam said with a sigh as she and Daniel cleared up, "I miss having Cassie here. I don't know why she wanted her own apartment."

Daniel replied, gazing at his wife in concern as he cleared the rest of the table, "Sam… we've been over this. I don't like it any more than you do, but she wanted it." He smiled slightly. "At least she's here regularly even if it isn't the same."

"She could have stayed."

"She's a big girl."

She nodded, washing the last of the crockery, and he exhaled, smiling as he looked at her. She smiled on hearing his thoughts right before he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her against him as he whispered silently, his chin resting on her shoulder,

'_I've wanted to do this all day._'

'_Hmm… me too… and a whole lot more._'

'_It was nice seeing Teal'c again… Jack's still working on getting permanent residency for him and Ish'ta on Earth._'

'_Still?! He's been working on it for over a year now._'

'_It's bureaucracy… and Jack's lack of tact when faced with someone who disagrees with him, or anyone else who happens to even be in the same room as him. I think they're getting there though. It'll be good to see Teal'c more._'

She nodded. '_It would. I miss him._'

He let her go to dry the dishes, and then he took her by the hand, leading her into the lounge. They sat down together on the couch, the General in his arms, and he kissed her neck. She stroked his thigh and then he rubbed her stomach, asking aloud,

"Sam?"

He exhaled and said as she frowned on not feeling anything from him, "I want to have your baby again."

Shocked, she turned over in his embrace to look down at him and she said, shaking her head, "No Daniel, I can't let you go through that again. I thought we'd agreed to adopt when Grace is older."

He caressed her jaw, replying, "I want to do this for you, Sam… and this time…" He raised a hand, a vial of a purple liquid appearing in it in a flash of light as she stared at the vial and then back at him in further shock.

"How…?"

As she took the vial from him, staring at it, he replied, gazing at her sombrely, "I have my sources…" She shot him a look. "Dad mainly. The Amazons of the Isle of the Blessed used this too… it's the compound that got us both pregnant despite your contraceptive injections." He sighed as she held it up to the light. "This time, we could have Carolyn, Cassie or the new Doctor run tests on it. We never got to analyse it before because it got absorbed into our systems so fast."

She shook her head and said, kissing him, "Daniel… I'm flattered that you want another baby with me, but this is too much. You don't have to do this."

"I want to… for you."

"Well, I don't want you to do this!"

He slowly ran his fingers through her hair, "Sam, listen to me. I want to do this for you. We always wanted a lot of children."

"We already have a lot! Didn't you even think about how you were going to hide it?! The Trust didn't fall for the tumour story the last time and they certainly won't this time! How are we going to explain having another child without me getting pregnant?! Daniel, please, think this through."

She rested her head on his chest and he replied, rubbing her shoulder, "I have. It would be nice to have a baby that we actually planned. Cammie and James were the product of rape; Claire and Jake were the result of the Ancients messing with your contraception; and Grace was because neither of us were using contraception because we thought that me being an Ancient at the time wouldn't result in Carter-Jackson number five."

She said, "I love them." She raised her head to look down at him. "I love them and I don't care how they were made."

"Me too. Of course I love them. I'm not putting them down. I'm just saying that we could try expanding our horizons. I've thought about this for a while… mostly when you're asleep which is why you didn't find about it before now."

She reached up to caress his neck as her head resumed its spot on his chest. "Daniel… I'd love another child but… I'd rather that you didn't have to go through childbirth again."

"But I want to. I want to do this. For you… for our babies… primarily for you. You want another baby but it's been nearly two years since your last. You have an opportunity to not go through it. You're currently four babies up on me anyhow."

"It's not a competition. It's our family."

"I know."

They kissed and she said, looking worried, "I'm worried, Daniel. You don't have to do this."

He wrapped his arms around her and replied, stroking her back, "It's a present, Sam… you can't look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Sure, fine, whatever. This ain't over."

He nodded and he said with a sigh, deliberately changing the subject on feeling her tiredness, "You know who Cammie reminds me of…"

She replied with a chuckle, gazing at his chest as she reached under his shirt to smooth his stomach, "Dennis?"

"Yeah… she's got the dungarees and the slingshot down pat"

"I think she's into MacGyver… you should have seen how she'd made it this time." She sighed, gazing up at him, "Let me have the baby, Daniel. You'll be safe."

He kissed her forehead and replied, his fingertips slowly running up and down back, "Sam… it's too risky."

She, incredulous, raised an eyebrow at him. "And you having Carter-Jackson number six isn't!?"

"It's ok… I'll be fine. This time around, I have powers… and we have a sample of the, uh, moonshine." He gazed at her, tenderly cupping her jaw, "Just say the word… and then we could talk to Carolyn off-the-record."

She propped herself up on his chest as he gazed up at her, and she said, looking worried, "Daniel… you've been through so much already…"

He reached up to caress her jaw. "And you've only just managed to fit into your jeans again." He smiled slightly. "I'll admit, I liked the extra Sam to play with but…" his smile faded, "… you've had four already and it's going to get harder each time for you to be fit for active service afterwards."

"You want a relatively normally conceived child… tell me how you having him or her is going to come under 'normal'."

He sighed. "Because… because, I don't know. I…"

She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. "No Daniel. It's because you haven't given this enough thought. You're just so focussed on being so damn guilt-ridden and self-sacrificing that you think you need to do this. Please don't do this, Daniel… if not for your need to alleviate your ever present guilt, then for me."

He gazed at her for a long moment as she looked at him in worry, and he said, his gaze lowering in a gradual acceptance, "Ok."

She smiled a little, resting her head on his chest, and she whispered, taking him by surprise, "If you want to have a baby, then you're not doing it alone."

He, wide-eyed, looked at her in surprise, and she said, caressing his jaw, "It might not be safe or practical for me to have a baby, but that doesn't mean you have to block your side of our link." He looked even more surprised and she tapped his forehead gently, smiling slightly. "I can read your thoughts, Doc…" Her smile faded. "If we're having another baby, I want to share your pain and your struggles."

He said in protest, "Sam…"

She cut him off. "No… you weren't alone the last time, and you're sure as hell not going to be alone this time." She kissed him. "I won't let you, you stubborn fool."

Dazed, he replied, his hands moving down her body, "Sam… what about covering it up?"

"Well… there's the pregnancy suit idea that we were going to try out before I knew I was carrying Cammie… and you said… you have your powers. You could make it appear that you're still your usual sexy self instead of your equally sexy pregnant self."

She smiled at his growing blush, and she continued with a sigh, her hand under his shirt again, "I think Carolyn would be interested in running tests on the compound before her maternity leave starts." They kissed, and she remarked, squeezing his haunches,

"And it'll be fun having more Daniel to play with."

He smiled against her shoulder and she continued, "Maybe there's a way to make me look as though I'm pregnant in the same way."

He kissed the top of her head. "There might be… but what about the inscriptions on the wall of the temple in Deir-el-Medina, where it mentions five children?"

She smiled. "I wrote that."

Surprised, he asked, "You did?"

She nodded and replied, "Well… Sophia did when she was in there by herself. It'll change when Jackson number six comes along."

He played with her hair, deep in thought as he looked up at the ceiling, and she, hearing his thoughts and feeling his emotions, kissed his throat and rested her head on his chest once again.

'_I wish I could get pregnant again but how are we going to manage with seven kids? Our present Jackson five is a lot to handle… and that's on a good day._'

'_We'll be ok, Sam. They're getting older. When Cammie and James start school, we'll have four children at home._'

'_It's just as well we're not on SG-1 anymore. We've got more time on our hands._'

She smiled against his neck and closed her eyes, her hand on his chest as bluish white light engulfed them, the scientists changing into many small orbs of the coloured light, rising through the ceiling.


	3. First Impressions

Sam sat in her office at the mountain, behind her desk, opposite a moderately pregnant Carolyn, and she raised her eyebrows br

_Apologies if House appears OOC… I've never written him before and you won't believe how many times this chapter has been rewritten. Lol_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam sat behind her desk in her office at the mountain, opposite a heavily pregnant Carolyn and she raised her eyebrows briefly, remarking, "Nerve-wracking, isn't it?"

Carolyn replied with a shrug, "If he's as good as Doctor Cuddy says he is then we can work on those attitude problems."

Sam nodded, and she said quietly, "Um… Carolyn… after this, Daniel and I want a word with you in private about something, if it's ok."

Carolyn smiled, curious. "Of course it is… Oh, is it about the big three upcoming Atlantis weddings? They don't have to change the venue for us pregnants or wait for mine and Vala's babies to come. They've each waited long enough."

Sam shook her head and replied, "No… it's not that. Liz is due to call a little later on about that though. I'll wait for Daniel to join us."

Carolyn nodded as Sam smiled in the direction of the door right before a knock sounded. Sam straightened up in her seat, smiling at Carolyn briefly, and she said,

"Come in."

The General and the medic looked in the direction of the door as it opened to reveal an unshaven man in his early-to-mid fifties with dark grey hair, and a distinct limp. Supported by a cane, he stood in the doorway, assessing the room and its inhabitants. He said in a gravely voice, his eyes directly on Carolyn,

"You must be Doctor Quinn… and…" he looked directly at Sam, who sensed unimaginable depths of darkness within him that shrouded a fragile interior, with that same piercing gaze, "… you must be General Jackson."

The two women exchanged a glance and House hobbled into the room, not shaking anyone's hand as he sat down in the seat next to Carolyn, and he continued by way of explaining his knowledge of who they were as he looked at Carolyn, "_You_ look to be about thirty-three weeks pregnant, you're wearing a white coat with a stethoscope peeking out of the pocket, _and_ you're holding a prescription pad." Carolyn self-consciously covered the pad with her hand, and he looked at Sam, "And you, General, haven't been General for long… you're still breaking into the role despite having this comfy office for much longer. You've got…" his eyes narrowed, "… four children at the most… which doesn't make sense as Colonel Davis mentioned that you have five… unless one's adopted. You're worried about something stupid and risky your husband's planning on doing."

Sam, more than a little unnerved at his observations, said, clearing her throat as Carolyn's eyes widened as she pieced the clues together, "Doctor House…" she flicked through the file before her, "I've been reading your file. I'll have to admit that it's pretty impressive… that's why you're here _but… _there are a few points that I am particularly concerned about."

House asked, glancing at Carolyn as he feigned ignorance, "Like?"

"It says here that you got expelled from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1982 for cheating in an exam."

House shrugged and replied, "It was just one question and von Evil was wrong anyway."

Sam raised an eyebrow briefly as Carolyn cleared her throat quietly to cover a smile. "Right." She looked at the file again, "You have an addiction to the painkiller Vicodin."

House grimaced, remarking with a shrug, "A minor indiscretion."

"Doctor House, a drug addiction is hardly _minor_. It's a serious problem."

"Not if it doesn't affect the way I work, and it doesn't. I need it for the pain in my leg."

Carolyn asked, "What's wrong with your leg?"

He replied, exhaling as he looked down, passing his cane from hand to hand, "I… I had an infarction about twenty years ago now. An aneurysm in my right thigh clotted, cutting off the blood supply to my quadriceps, which then, surprise, surprise, became necrotic."

Carolyn winced and asked, "Why didn't your attending just bypass the dead tissue instead of removing it, so you could retain the use of your leg? True, there would have been a _lot _of painand risks of organ failure and cardiac arrest but, in the long term, you wouldn't have needed a cane."

He remarked gruffly, "Blame my caring, sharing lawyer ex-girlfriend. Anyway," his eyebrows rose briefly, "chicks dig scars." He then looked up at Sam, the General sympathetically putting the Doctor's demeanour down to the pain in his leg, and he asked, quickly changing the subject, "Is there anything else you want to pull me on?"

Sam and Carolyn glanced at each other, and the former said, her tone a little softer, "Well, there are a few things, but your record speaks for itself. Looking at your file and after speaking to Doctor Cuddy, I believe that you have it in you to do well here. However… you are reminded though that you will be working in a military environment, treating military officers as well as civilians, and any antagonistic behaviour will not go down well."

House shrugged, and Sam said to Carolyn, "Doctor Quinn, would you like to inform Doctor House of his duties?"

Carolyn nodded, smiling slightly in amusement at the formality as she replied, "Yes, General Jackson," before proceeding to fill House in on the duties of the SGC's Chief Medical Officer.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After Carolyn had shown House around the Infirmary and introduced him to Cassie who had been at the military hospital during the earlier meeting, she returned to Sam's office, asking with a sigh as she resumed her seat,

"Well, _is_ Daniel going to do something stupid?"

Sam remarked uneasily, "Doctor House is very insightful, isn't he? He's like Sherlock Holmes."

"Hmm…" Carolyn smiled. "So… what is he doing that you need me for? Contrary to General O'Neill's claims, breaking his legs won't stop him from ascending."

Sam shook her head. "He's _not_ ascending."

"Well… that narrows it down… um, oh…" Carolyn's face froze momentarily. "I thought about this earlier but then I thought that you wouldn't be as stupid and irresponsible… _but_ seeing as it's Daniel we're talking about here…" Shocked, Carolyn stared at the General. "You want Carter-Jackson number six and in true Daniel fashion, he's offered to have the baby because… because he's still in touch with the Ancients. Oh Sam…"

Sam, surprised, remarked, "You got all that from Doctor House _thinking_ that I was worried about Daniel doing something stupid?"

"No… I got that from knowing you and Daniel pretty well… and the epiphany just so happened to be sparked by what Doctor House said. So… is it true? Are Jonas and I going to be Uncle and Aunt for a seventh time?"

Sam sighed, chewing her lip as Carolyn looked both triumphant and concerned, and the General looked up at the door right before someone knocked. She said, already knowing who it was, having had a mental conversation with him all the while,

"Daniel, you don't need to knock."

'_Sorry… it's just that it's your office. I don't like barging in like that._'

Sam smiled as Daniel came in, and he asked silently, '_So… do we tell her that I'm just as stupid and irresponsible as she just worked out?_'

'_Sure, why not? She's already guessed it._'

Daniel sat down in the seat next to Carolyn's, and he said, glancing across the desk at Sam, "You've guessed it." He pulled a purple vial from his pocket, "… My father-in-law managed to get this from the Isle of the Blessed. It's the same or a similar compound to the one that we were made to drink on Hippolyta's planet all those years ago."

Carolyn sighed and asked point blank, "Daniel… why are you doing this? If you're doing this because you genuinely want another child, I would be more than happy to help and I imagine so would Doctor Carmichael, but if you're doing this because you feel guilty about everything that you and Sam have been through, or because you want to experiment, then I refuse to help you, because it's wrong bringing a child into the world… a life… for those reasons."

'_She's got a point, Daniel._'

'_I know… and I want to give you this baby, for all of those reasons and more._'

Daniel replied, "I want to give Sam a baby because it's too risky for her to have another one. The advantages to you or to Doctor Carmichael are second to that." He looked across at Sam and continued, "We want this baby."

Carolyn watched as Daniel reached for Sam's hand, and she said softly, willing herself not to cry, "Ok… well, Doctor Carmichael's visiting Doctor Brightman in Atlantis so… I think we need to keep this under wraps. I imagine you've already gone over the NID and the IOA knowing that we were lying about the tumour."

They both nodded, and she continued, "What did you have in mind with regards to covering it up?"

Sam replied, still holding Daniel's hand, "Well, we've experimented with using our powers to make it look as I though I'm pregnant… I won't demonstrate considering that you're carrying Quinn Junior. We've also thought about using the same principle so that I go around disguised as Daniel and vice versa."

Carolyn, surprised, couldn't help but smirk as she looked at her friends, remarking, "That's going to be confusing…" her smile faded as she thought it through, "… but effective." She looked thoughtful for a moment, "I don't think it's going to be a good idea to tell Doctor House about this. I know he's doing a very good job of handling the new environment and the new slant on things but this might be the tipping point."

The Jacksons nodded, and Carolyn continued with a smile, "Never a dull moment with you two though, huh?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cassie remarked as she looked through the file folder on the desk in front of her, "Wow… it's like nothing I've seen before… which isn't a total surprise seeing as I haven't been here too long but…" she looked speechless for a moment, "this is amazing. To be honest, I don't think that this is the same one that you took on Hippolyta's planet because this would stimulate oestrogen production way faster than Carolyn measured in you after you came back."

Daniel nodded as they sat in Carolyn's former office with Sam, Jonas having taken a tired Carolyn home, and he said, "So, if I were to take it…"

Cassie replied with a shrug, "We could be calling you 'Danielle' this time next week… but if they used to this to impregnate men on the Isle, then… oh my…" she looked stunned, "… didn't you even consider why there were no men? They might have used something like this to…"

Sam looked down at her hands as Daniel replied, "No, Jacob was pretty clear about it. They used it to get male captives pregnant."

"Why didn't they use it on you though, if you don't mind me asking?"

Daniel shrugged, reluctant to talk about his experience. "I don't know. Maybe Jacob somehow found a way to stop them."

Sam reached for his hand, squeezing it as a physical reminder of her presence and her support, and he turned his hand over to hold her hand in a silent gesture of gratitude. Cassie sighed and said,

"Well, I wouldn't advise taking this but as you're so damn stubborn, you'll do it anyway. I would like to monitor your vitals as you take it. Do you know how long prior to intercourse you have to take it and how long it lasts?"

Sam replied, feeling awkward about talking about such things with someone she had once considered adopting, "Uh… on Hippolyta's planet, it appeared to be immediate."

'_Sam…_'

'_Sshh, it's ok, honey, you're going to be ok. She just needs to ask these questions to be able to understand the compound better._'

'_I know but I don't like talking about this with her._'

'_I know how you feel._'

Daniel nodded and Cassie, noticing him look somewhat more embarrassed than Sam, said gently, "Look guys, I know it's weird talking to me but I'm not a child anymore and these are pertinent medical questions."

Sam smoothed Daniel's hand, replying as he gazed at her, "Sorry… it is kinda weird though."

Cassie nodded in understanding and was about to say something when Sam and Daniel both stared at each other suddenly and then at the door right before House opened it, remarking, "Could you hold your witches' coven elsewhere other than in my new office? I need it to wallow in frustration and self-pity."

Sam looked up at him and replied, "Sorry Doctor, we're done."

House, sensing something weird, asked, "What's going on?"

Sam and Daniel exchanged a glance and then looked at Cassie who shrugged, and then Sam said as Cassie stood to give the Doctor his chair back, "Doctor, we have something to tell you… you might want to sit down for this."


	4. First Impressions Part II

House had received surprise after surprise in the past fortnight, beginning with his friends and colleagues at Princeton, Doct

House had received surprise after surprise in the past fortnight, beginning with his friends and colleagues at Princeton, Doctor Wilson, his best friend, and Doctor Cameron, his former departmental subordinate, deciding to get married after her divorce from another one of former his subordinates, Doctor Chase, had come through long after Wilson's third divorce.

That had knocked him for six – he'd always thought that Wilson had shown more interest in House's boss, Doctor Cuddy, than he had ever had in Cameron, but they had proved him wrong… and he was rarely proved wrong. He'd won a lot of money from Wilson and another colleague, Foreman, when he'd surmised that Chase and Cameron's marriage had been on the rocks though.

Another surprise was that a military base in Colorado Springs, catering in 'Deep Space Radar Telemetry', which he had already guessed to be a cover for its real operations, had poached him.

He liked Princeton Plainsboro. He knew that he was a pain-in-the-rear but he also knew that he was lucky to have friends who cared about him and resisted, in the long term, his tendencies to push them away, and though he never said it aloud, he appreciated it.

In Colorado he felt overwhelmingly vulnerable and alone, away from his friends and the people he had worked for years to antagonise and rile up. The idea that he would have to break new people in galled him to a certain extent. He had started to become comfortable in New Jersey.

The surprise that he had initially felt capped all of his surprises off was when he discovered what really went on at Cheyenne Mountain under the guise of Deep Space Radar Telemetry. He would never have seen it coming in his wildest dreams.

Aliens… alien technology… a myriad of diseases and pathogens that he would have to study. The Stargate. A very nice Colonel who reminded him a lot of Cameron had given him a brief rundown of sixteen years of operations at Stargate Command after pressuring him into signing a non-disclosure agreement.

Great. He couldn't tell his friends what he was doing without getting shot or being killed in mysterious circumstances.

Why had he agreed to go to Colorado in the first place?

Well… to be honest with himself, he missed working with his friends, most of whom he had managed to drive away with his usual callous-on-the-outside demeanour, and by taking them for granted. In his formative years, he had never stayed in one place for any significant length of time due to his father being a Marine, his job taking the family all over the world.

While, as a result, he had an impressive grasp of many languages, cultures and subjects, he had never settled long enough anywhere to learn how to make friends or to know what it felt like to be accepted.

This new calling had come at the right time for him. He knew that his record, despite impressive, was scary in parts to people who didn't understand and that it would affect his options with regard to further employment. So, it was a big surprise when a new job came to him rather than the other way round, and what a job…

The surprise that did cap all those other surprises off, was the fact that his new boss' husband, Doctor Daniel Jackson, the brainbox that had unlocked the Stargate and was bewilderingly lucky in love, had been pregnant once before… and wanted to be pregnant again.

Was he mad?

What did he think women were for?

He listened to Jackson's pathetic reasons for having another child, mainly having given his wife four other children – she must have been lying about her age; there was no way that she was forty-eight – and wanting to add to their menagerie.

He sighed and remarked as Doctor and General Jackson sat across his desk from him as he wondered whether guilt was curable, "You want another child because you feel _insanely_ guilty about hurting the good General in the past and you think that by having this baby, it's going to bring you closer together. It won't. Babies don't work that way."

Jackson and Jackson gawped at each other, obviously in awe of his prowess, and female Jackson said, "With all respect…" oh, it was bad when military figures said that… because what they were about to say was rarely respectful, "… Doctor, we understand the risks and everything and we're going to share." Ok, that wasn't too bad… surprisingly. Wait, _share_?

"Share? You're going to _share_ childbirth? That's the craziest thing I've heard since my idiot of a best friend decided to marry someone with an insanely rigid moral compass and so much compassion that she's in more pain than the patient she's performing a lumbar puncture on."

And it was then that he received another surprise, a surprise that capped off the surprise that he had initially thought had capped off all the rest. He really had to check the label on his Vicodin… and give male Jackson a lot of credit for his new boss not being anywhere near as grumpy as Cuddy.


	5. Communion

"So, what do you think of the new Doctor

"So, what do you think of the new Doctor?"

Teal'c, his hair now almost shoulder length, replied with a stony expression as he sat with Sam, Daniel and Cam in the kitchen of the Carter-Jackson residence, "I prefer DoctorQuinn."

Cam remarked with a shrug, "Well, he took the whole classified thing well."

Sam replied, looking sympathetic as she bounced Grace on her knee, "He's a lot like Jack… or how I imagine Jack would have been like without having the programme." She looked at Daniel who placed a hand on her knee, and Teal'c asked,

"DanielJackson, did you inform DoctorHouse of your intentions?"

Daniel nodded and replied, smoothing Jake's hair as the little boy played with his father's shirtfront, "Yep. We pretty much threw him but after he got to grips with the idea, he wanted to help out."

'_I'm scared._'

'_Now you're scared?!_'

'_Sam…_'

Teal'c said, "That is indeed fortuitous. I greatly dislike DoctorHouse but he is a highly skilled medical practitioner."

Cam remarked, shaking his head in disbelief as he looked at Daniel, "I can't believe you want to go through all that again. The last time took a lot out of you. This time… you're pretty messed up. Don't take that the wrong way but… you are."

Daniel shrugged and Sam remarked teasingly, "Maybe it's something you could consider with Vala… you'll get those planned seven kids a lot faster."

Cam retorted, glaring at her half-seriously, "Sure, right after raiding my wife's closet."

Daniel said, looking a little tired, "Mitchell, it's an enlightening experience – you should consider it."

Cam shrugged and Sam asked Teal'c, changing the subject, "So… what's going on between you and Ish'ta?"

Teal'c replied, his stony expression returning, "Much has transpired, Samantha."

Cam guffawed as Daniel smiled, and the Archaeologist asked, "What happened this time?"

"Ish'ta does not wish to live with the Tau'ri."

All smiles vanished and Cam asked, now looking distressed, "She doesn't?"

"That is correct, ColonelMitchell."

Sam asked, her eyes suddenly moist as she glanced at Daniel, "Teal'c, you… damn, Daniel, say something."

Daniel said with a sigh, grudgingly accepting the situation, "I guess you have to follow your heart, Teal'c. We don't want you to leave. If it was up to any one of us, we'd keep you with us forever but… seeing as it's not going to work out." He closed his eyes as Sam looked even more worried, "Sorry… I'll be back in a minute." He got up and left the kitchen, going out of the backdoor, and Cam, disturbed at what had happened, remarked uneasily,

"See? You're making Jackson upset."

Cam got up to go after him but Sam got up as well, saying softly, "I'll go. Take Grace."

Grace whimpered, her arms stretching out to her mother as Cam held her, and Sam said, touching her cheek, "Ssh, Gracie, I won't be long."

Cam said, bouncing the little girl in his hold as they heard Francis and the rest of the Carter-Jacksons playing boisterously out at the front of the house, "Come on Gracie, let's go work our magic on Uncle T."

_0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0_

After sending Jake back into the house, Sam sat down next to Daniel on the back deck, placing a hand on his knee. He placed a hand over hers, their fingers interlaced and leaned his head on her shoulder. Feeling his pain, she smoothed his hair with her other hand and kissed his temple.

'_He's going away… just like Jack did. There's only me and you left out of the original line-up of SG-1. I know he'll be back to visit but it won't be the same._'

'_I know… I don't like it either but would it be fair to keep him here like that? He deserves to have some solidity with Ish'ta. They've been on-off for eight years so far._'

'_Hmm, I get it. It's just hard._'

'_Try not to take it too hard. It's all going to work out._'

He kissed her neck as she wrapped an arm around him. '_I hope so._'

She held him in her arms, the two of them closing their eyes as they communed with each other's feelings, opening their minds up to each other fully as a means to help each other.

'_Maybe we could work on Ish'ta._'

'_Like that would happen, Daniel… she doesn't like us._'

'_She liked you._'

'_That's because I don't have a penis._'

She smiled as he snickered, and she looked down at him lovingly, watching him play with her St Christopher. She ran her fingers through hair, feeling the same warm feeling that she did from him each time and she smiled more on seeing his eyes close.

'_Mmmm… it's interesting how one simple gesture could both be so soothing and a turn-on._'

'_It is interesting. Do, uh, do you still want to take the com… Wait, why do we even call it a compound?_'

'_I don't know. Doctor House called it a crazy elixir._'

'_Hm, ok. Anywho… Daniel… do you still want to take the elixir later?_'

He nodded as she continued her caresses. '_Yeah. I just got emotional about Teal'c going._'

'_God, this is so weird… we've never planned a baby before._'

'_I know… weird._' His train of thought was cut off when she reached a hand underneath the front of his shirt, rubbing his stomach. '_Mmmm…_' She smiled, kissing the top of his head as she continued to hold him in her arms.

_0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0_

"I will continue my efforts to…"

Daniel shook his head, now looking a lot more relaxed than before as Grace made noises on his shoulder. "No, Teal'c. It's ok. We'll work it out somehow. It's unfortunate that Ish'ta won't come here but you need to live your life for once."

Teal'c replied as the two men sat with Cam and Jonas in the kitchen, "My life is here. The Jaffa never truly accepted me even following the success of the rebellion, but the Tau'ri, despite some misgivings, have accepted me. You, Samantha, ColonelMitchell, ValaMalDoranMitchell, O'Neill, and JonasQuinn are as much family to myself as Ry'ac and Bra'tac are."

Jonas said, "But if Ish'ta won't…"

Teal'c looked defiant. "If she cannot accept my family, then I cannot accept her as my Sim'ka. I do not wish to abandon you."

Cam patted Teal'c on the shoulder. "T, it isn't abandoning. It's like Landry going away to live with Carolyn's Mom… or to a lesser extent seeing as he was in D.C. anyway, O'Neill and Sara. The war's over – you can be happy for once… your blood pressure's gonna drop to normal levels within a week of being with the Hak'tyl… or maybe not." The Colonel smirked.

Daniel smiled as the Jaffa's eyes moved to him. "Teal'c, you're a brother to me – you always have been… and I know how happy you are with Ish'ta despite the fights. She's putting a lot on the line, quite possibly the risk of losing her respect among her fellow warriors by making her feelings clear to you. I don't think you could have expected her to give up everything that she's ever known for another world that's essentially alien to her. You've lived here for sixteen years, but if you remember how you were after you first came here – you wanted to take your staff weapon topside after watching TV – you can't expect her to settle in quickly, if at all." He squeezed Teal'c's forearm, "I don't want you to go, but there comes a time when you've got to do what you've got to do… and I think this is it. You really are going be missed, Teal'c."

The two men hugged after Daniel had seated Grace on the table, and the Archaeologist continued in a whisper, looking sad, "I'm going to miss you."

Cam nodded in agreement, standing up to hug Teal'c from behind, and Jonas squeezed the Jaffa's shoulder, saying, "Daniel's right. Go, ah, do your thing."

Daniel resumed his seat and picked Grace up again as he and Teal'c maintained eye contact for a moment and then Cam came around the front of the Jaffa to hug him, followed by Jonas, and Teal'c finally spoke.

"I will miss you all greatly…" He smiled slightly as he looked at Daniel, "… and I wish to be informed of the progress of the child you will carry. You are indeed the bravest man that I have ever encountered. The bravest of all of the Jaffa would not have the courage to do what you will, nor what you have already accomplished."


	6. Communion Part II

Daniel lay on the bed, looking a little apprehensive as Sam returned from settling the children down, which had involved bathi

_Lyrics featured are All by Myself, by Celine Dion._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel lay on the bed, looking a little apprehensive as Sam returned from settling the children down, which had involved bathing every one of them due to a few scrapes that they had managed to get into earlier, and she asked, sensing his mental state as she sat down on the edge of the bed closest to him, running her fingers through his hair,

"Daniel?"

He shook his head and sat up, saying as he looked worried, "I don't know. It just feels weird. I guess it's because we've not done this before… planning a baby, I mean."

Still running her fingers through his hair, she replied softly, "It's ok. We don't have to do it. We'll just get Cassie or Doctor House to continue analysing the elixir."

She hugged him and he clung onto her, whispering, "I want this, Sam. I really do. It's just that I feel weird. I guess I'm just being stupid."

She smiled, kissing his neck. "You're never stupid, Daniel, believe me… ok, you were when you doubted how I felt about you, or whenever you risk your life without thinking of all of the consequences… Let's just go to sleep."

He kissed her, whispering as he gazed at her lovingly, "I'm ok, Sam. It's just nerves."

She nodded and got up to close the door, and she returned to him, holding him in her arms as she said softly, "We're going to do this together, Daniel. I'll be there every step of the way, going through everything you're going through. You're not alone."

He nodded against her bosom, whispering his thanks. "I love you, Sam. Anyone else would have zatted me long ago."

"I've been tempted to zat you to stop you from dying on me again… but then I thought you'd find a way to die somehow whilst zatted."

He laughed softly, and they smiled as they kissed, their hands slowly but irreverently moving under items of clothing. Giggling, they separated, and she said, smoothing his cheek,

"Daniel, you haven't taken it yet."

He shook his head before reaching into the nightstand, holding the purple vial in the palm of his hand as they both looked at it in wonder and admittedly apprehension. He said quietly, gazing at her a little fearfully,

"We don't know exactly what this will do to me… whether it'll result in a pregnancy at all, a faster pregnancy, or even a gender change…"

Holding his face in her hands, smoothing it with her thumbs, she said, gently kissing him, "I don't care about that last one."

Surprised despite being able to feel her emotions as well as read her thoughts, he asked, "You don't?"

She shook her head and replied with a smirk, "I don't. You'd still be you… I'll admit it would take a lot of getting used to but I wouldn't freak out... much."

He couldn't help but snicker, and she asked, confused, "What?"

He shook his head, still smiling as he said with a happy sigh, "No, it just furthers my point about you being so accepting, and having so much love within you." He kissed her. "And I would still love you if you were a man."

She smiled, now as amused as he was, and she remarked, "We're a weird pair, aren't we?"

"It's probably because we really mean it as opposed to it being conciliatory. In our jobs, you never know what could happen next. Look at Carson."

They giggled before kissing once more, and then looking at the vial that he still held. They gazed at each other and she said, "There's no pressure, Daniel. No pressure at all. You can put it straight back into the nightstand and we can just live our lives as we are."

"I want this Sam, very much. What about you?"

"I'm happy if you are."

They both nodded and he carefully removed the lid of the vial, holding it up to the light as he looked at the contents. She gently caressed his jaw and he gazed at her, whispering silently,

'_Here we go. No turning back. From here on out…_'

'_Daniel._'

'_What?_'

'_Shut up._'

He smiled, looking at the vial for a moment before taking a deep breath and downing the contents in one go. He managed to swallow it before wheezing, remarking hoarsely as she smoothed his back, concerned,

"Different as it appears to be to Hippolyta's one, it still packs a punch."

She asked, worried as she remembered long ago how her lungs had felt as though they had dissolved, "How do you feel?"

He appeared to be in deep thought for a long moment before replying, slowly smiling, "Hmm… good. To be honest with you, pretty good."

She smiled, still worried as she felt an overwhelming surge of excitement from him, and he asked, his face flushed, "Sam?"

Feeling from him what she had usually felt before and during making love, she smiled, her worry going as she sensed that he wasn't being controlled in any way. He smiled at her, his previous tiredness and apprehension gone, and she remarked with a mirthful raise of her eyebrows,

"It's an aphrodisiac. Doctor House never saw that one coming."

He smiled, feeling giddy as he retorted, "Our secret then."

They wrapped their arms around each other, kissing fervently, almost ripping off each other's clothing in their growing need to be closer to each other.

Their clothes gone, scattered wherever, she murmured silently as he made love to her body, '_Oh God, Daniel... Mmmm…_'

Driven wild with need as she felt his own arousal, she waited for him rather than taking control, knowing despite everything that he needed to be in control, and she caressed his rippling shoulder muscles as they kissed passionately, the gesture conveying their love for one another.

He rose above her, their eyes locked onto each other's, their love for each other shining like blazing torches, and he entered her, slowly for once, both of them groaning as they savoured the feeling of becoming one as she held onto him. Tears in his eyes, he whispered, gazing down at her lovingly,

"I love you, Samantha… I love you."

As he began to move within her, gradually building up speed, she whispered in his ear before kissing it, "And I love you Daniel… always. I've always loved you and I always will."

Feeling overwhelming happiness at that utterance, he kissed her, whispering silently as he gave herself to him, and she him, '_I've loved you from the moment we met, my fair Guinevere._'

She smiled as she continued to hold onto him, and she called out his name in an expression of the sheer ecstasy she was feeling, and he hers as they built up to a great crescendo, feeling as though they had left their bodies behind long before, their consciousnesses soaring through free space.

Suddenly it felt as though the ground had been cleft asunder and they were freefalling into a great burning fire. The cries grew into screams as they became overwhelmed and overcome by crashing waves of powerful emotions and sensations, white hot flames engulfing them in what felt like slow-motion.

And then all became still.

Absolutely drenched with sweat, he collapsed from the exertion, breathing heavily by her side as she too fought to catch her breath. She whispered eventually, stunned,

"Wow… oh God, wow. _That_ was amazing."

They held onto each other, shaken by what they had experienced, and he kissed her shoulder, whispering back, feeling overwhelmed by it all, "That was… that was. Have we ever felt like this?"

She shook her head, smoothing his backside as she replied, "Never. That was scary despite being the best ever. It wasn't as scary as it would have been with anyone else."

"Hmm. I felt safe though."

"Me too."

They helped each other under the covers, feeling cold as their bodies began to cool down, and they continued to hold onto each other. He suddenly whispered,

"Do you think I'm pregnant now?"

She smiled in amusement, remarking, "Isn't it a bit soon to ask? Both House and Cassie said that we would have to wait a week or so before they'd perform all the necessary tests."

He kissed her shoulder, replying with a little smile, "Well, at least we don't have to do _this_ more than once… we're not on leave and we'll be the walking dead tomorrow as it is."

"It's just as well we're not on the team anymore."

"Yeah."

They wrapped their arms around each other, holding each other close as they began to drift off with exhaustion, and they kissed, the General whispering as she continued to smooth his backside, "This is going to be pretty hectic."

"Understatement alert. What if I have twins or triplets… or quadruplets?"

"If it was quads, it would mean having nine kids altogether… holy Hannah, that would be a lot to handle. I'm not sure I can think of four names right now."

"Me neither… maybe we'll get them in the morning."

"Maybe."

They fell asleep in each other's arms, feeling a sense of deep contentment after what they had experienced, and an overwhelming love for each other, her hand slowly rubbing his stomach.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam woke up and was shocked to discover that it was still dark. Confused and then scared that they had slept right through the next day and missed work, not forgetting leaving five children aged six and under by themselves for that length of time, she raised a hand to illuminate their immediate vicinity.

Squinting in the light, she then gaped at the clock as Daniel began to stir. Spooked, she reached for her mobile, and then his, checking dates on the respective calendars, and she said as Daniel stirred further, gently nudging him,

"Honey, something's wrong."

He woke up quickly, asking drowsily as she threw on her t-shirt, running out of the room, "Sam? What's…" he looked around himself in confusion. "Hey, why's it still night?"

Quickly finding his boxers as he silently hoped that this wasn't the start of another adventure that would bring him back to SG-1, he ran after his wife, finding her in Grace's room. Checking all of the rooms, on each of their children, he returned, looking absolutely stunned.

Sam said, shaking her head as she looked overcome, "Something doesn't feel right." She finally looked at him standing on the other side of Grace's crib. "It should be morning by now but… it's not."

He looked thoughtful for a moment and then said with a shrug, "I've got to admit, I'm not as tired as I would be being woken up in the middle of the night after a bout of passion." He yawned, stretching, and then asked, realising something,

"Could we have stopped time during… you know…?"

She asked, surprised and admittedly sceptical, "_Stopped_ time?"

"Come on, Sam… when we go for little head trips, we defy all known laws of time and space… several hours translates as a couple of minutes in the real world."

She smiled as he grew more excited as he continued to explain what he had just worked out. "This… elixir… this elixir is from another plain of existence where time doesn't necessarily flow the same way. What if it created some kind of a bubble that… I don't know… either slowed down or even stopped time? It would certainly explain this disorientation."

They stared at each other over the crib and she asked with sigh, "What do we do then?"

He remarked with a little smile, "Take advantage of the extra peace and quiet?"

She raised an eyebrow at him and then couldn't help but smile. They looked down at Grace, watching her frown a little in her sleep, and they gazed across at each other.

'_Let's go before Grace sets off the rest of our blue-eyed horde._'

'_Good idea. She's a moody little lady like her Mommy._'

'_Yeah right… she's grumpy like her Daddy._'

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Downstairs, after Sam had forced Daniel to lie down on the couch, he remarked as she kneeled at his side, holding his hand, "Saaam… for crying out loud… you complained about people being ridiculously overprotective of you during your pregnancies. I'm not even… I don't even _know_ if I'm actually pregnant!"

He worked his eyes on her as he continued in a persuasive voice that he had always planned on using to negotiate with if he was ever held captive by yet another mad alien female, "Sam…"

She rolled her eyes and said, amused, "Daniel, I'm not a mad alien, and do you honestly think that that's going to work, especially after James used the same look on me the other day to get cookie dough, right after insulting my cookies?"

He snickered, saying with a sigh, "Ah… Junior picked that up from the best. I remember that."

She frowned slightly. "You do?"

"You remember how those blocks of ours don't actually work all the time? Jack was looking at me strangely every so often when I kept laughing at some of the things our little miracle came out with." He raised his eyebrows mirthfully. "Now, back where I was before the crazy General lady interrupted… Sam… do you want to at least lie here with me so I'm not bored out my head?"

She laughed in amusement and disbelief, and said, "Nope."

He pouted and asked after a moment, "Now?"

"Nope."

Looking defeated, he said, waving dismissively, "Fine... I'll just lie here… _by _myself. On my own. Solo. All alone. Loneliness, thy name is Daniel…"

She smiled at him, feigning innocence as she got up, going into the kitchen as he continued, looking up at the ceiling, "… 'All by myself, don't want to be, all by myself… _anymore_!'"

She called from the kitchen, "Nice try, honey. It's interesting how you seem to forget how well I know you."

He groaned, hitting the back of his head on the couch armrest before whining, "Saaam… Saaam… Saaaaaaaaaaam…"

He groaned again when he heard her humming nonchalantly in his head, and he called, feeling grumpy, "Sam… I could be pregnant… and you wouldn't want me to fall off the couch."

When he didn't get an answer, the infuriating humming in his head not stopping, he continued, "I'm getting up… by myself… Yep, getting up."

He sat up and when the humming didn't stop, he sighed and got up, slowly walking into the kitchen, saying, now weary, "Sam… I wasn't joking about being bored… and lonely…" He looked up and frowned in bewilderment on seeing her with her back against the sink, watching him. "Sam?"

He gazed at her with concern as he approached her, noticing how subdued she looked and he touched her cheek. Cradling her jaw in his hand, he asked in a softer voice as she leaned into his touch and he felt a tumult of confused emotions from her, the humming ceasing abruptly, "Sam?"

Her face fell and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he said, confused as well as concerned, "Hey… hey, what's wrong?"

She released a shuddering breath as she closed her eyes, saying, "You're doing this because we don't know the real risks about me having a baby now. You're doing this because you think I don't want to go through it all again. You're doing this because you think I'm happy about fitting into my jeans again…"

Now feeling upset as he realised what was wrong, he kissed her and said, holding her tighter, "We could give it a shot, Sam. Who said that we can't? We were pregnant together the last time I was pregnant… and I'm not even sure if I'm even pregnant now but… you know."

She shook her head. "The thing is, Daniel… you're right to think what you do. If I have another baby, he or she, if they survived, could have Down's Syndrome… God, I'm sorry… I must sound so selfish because what you're going to do is just as, if not more risky than that."

He kissed her again. "I could give you another baby, Sam… the natural way."

"Who's going to take care of our babies when we're both pregnant? It's not fair to rely on our friends. There's really no excuse for us both being pregnant… this is planned. We… God… this is crazy." She kneaded her forehead on his shoulder. "Sorry. I'm sorry."

He kissed her neck and whispered as he mentally hugged her, surrounding her both physically and mentally with his presence, "It's ok, Sam. It's all going to work out."

She smiled, gently rubbing his stomach as she whispered back, tears in her eyes, "I know it will, Daniel… I'm just being stupid."

He punctuated each word with a gentle kiss as he said, "You, General Carter-Jackson, are not stupid and you never were. Crazy, yes… but stupid… of course not." He nuzzled her neck as he continued, "I don't really know what to say right now except to say that I'm here… and I hopefully always will be."

She caressed his lower back, murmuring against his shoulder, "Thanks. I don't know what came over me. It's like it just hit me all of a sudden that you're having a baby and I probably can't. I wish you didn't have to do this by yourself… because no matter how much of your pain I share, I won't be carrying our child."

"Well," he exhaled, "that's how I felt when you were carrying Grace. It's probably natural." He touched her cheek and then lowered his lips to hers, whispering silently as she smiled, kissing him back,

'_I suppose we could take every opportunity we get to make love… which, realistically, isn't going to be many seeing as we're…_'

'_Daniel._'

'_Hmm?_'

'_You're rambling._'

'_Well… you do that to me… now will you finally let me hold you?_'

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They reclined together on the couch, his arms around her, and she kissed his chest as he readjusted his hold on her. She ran her hand up and down his hip and then rubbed his stomach again as he nuzzled her throat.

'_I'm sorry, Daniel._'

'_That's… oh, the fifteenth time so far tonight. Sam, don't apologise. It's ok, it really is. Just relax._'

She smiled. '_Ok._'

'_We should be able to do anything in front of each other by now. Don't be self conscious about your anxieties. Remember that they're mine too… especially more so now._'

She sat up and he frowned, confused, as she raised a hand over his abdomen. A holographic image hovered above them of a small cell dividing. She sniffed back tears as she smiled with pride and love as he gaped up at the image in wonder, and he asked, now overwhelmed with so many conflicting emotions,

"That's… that's our baby?"

She nodded and she said with a grin as the image vanished, "Come here, you."

He sat up, rubbing his eyes as he said, tearful, "Oh God… that was just so surreal." He exhaled and looked at her, slowly smiling. "Our baby." Excited, they hugged, and she whispered,

"Congratulations, honey. You're going to be a Mommy… and I'm going to protect you. Seeing that… cell put it all into perspective. Our baby." She kissed him as they both smiled, his arms coming around her as he lifted her above him.


	7. Confrontation

Sam flicked through the file before her as she sat at her desk at the mountain, her eyebrows rising every so often in surprise

A bruised House, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, limped into Sam's office in a casual manner without knocking, and said as she politely glared up at him from her seat, "General. Doctor Jackson still driving you nuts with either madness or delight… or both? I don't know, you military types are tempera…"

Sam snapped impatiently, "Doctor House!"

He immediately clammed up, sitting down as she said, looking highly stressed but trying to contain it for the sake of Daniel's wellbeing, "I have received a number of complaints from SGC personnel, including medical staff, with regard to your conduct since you started here." She sighed, skimming the file. "Repeated allegations of anti-social behaviour, assault and battery…"

He grimaced a little and remarked petulantly, gingerly touching the bruise on his nose, "The big bad Colonel started it."

"… refusal to wear proper medical attire unless in surgery…"

"I don't wear those stiff white coats. This is way cooler."

"Doctor House, considering the regular operations of the Infirmary not forgetting standard medical procedure, you are required to wear suitable attire, and to be clean-shaven whilst on duty. I don't know how Princeton Plainsboro handled things, but here, you do it properly." Her voice lowered. "I'm willing to overlook the Vicodin use if you forgo the unprofessional attire."

He grimaced, and she asked, gesturing towards his nose, "How's the bruise?"

He shrugged and replied, "It's… bruising." His eyes narrowed slightly as he sat back in his seat, and he then he said, "Congratulations."

Sensing that he was feeling smug, she said, surprised nonetheless, "Um… thanks, Doctor. Daniel and I are really excited about it but we're waiting for the tests."

Trying to hide his surprise at her knowing what he had meant, he remarked, "I've got to say, I've never worked for a psychic before… Well, ok, Cuddy had her own brand of psychic abilities… but that took years of practice."

She smiled, and he remarked, "You'd think a General who got to being General by a lot of hard work wouldn't need to distract the people under her command – the men in particular – with an under wired bra."

She blinked slowly in disbelief and he continued, "It'll be roughly thirteen weeks before Doctor Jackson's second trimester where he's going to have all those wonderful urges… unless of course you have your eye on someone else..." He raised his eyebrows facetiously, and she said sternly, embarrassed nonetheless,

"Doctor, I believe you have your duties to attend to."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cassie, concerned, asked as House returned to the Infirmary, "Hey, what did Sam say?"

House remarked with a shrug as he took the file folder from her, walking past her into his office as she followed, "There was yelling… some painful sympathy, and then she came onto me."

She rolled her eyes and said, perching on the side of his desk as he sat down, propping his feet up as he spun his cane around, "Yeah right, House. I've known Sam since I was a kid and she'd never do that."

He remarked, feigning disappointment, "You mean I'm not appealing to the good, gung ho General with the big boobs?"

She shook her head slightly and said, "Just be careful. The last person Daniel thought was messing with Sam got a bruised nose, or so I heard."

He looked thoughtful as he leaned his head back. "Interesting… jealousy and inferiority complexes. He doesn't think he's good enough for her, so any guy that comes along gets a taste of what the Rock is cooking. He's been treated for psychological problems before, hasn't he?"

She remarked, shaking her head as she got up, "House, get over yourself. They're in love with each other."

As she reached the doorway, he said, slowly tossing a ball up in the air and catching it, "Or maybe Boobs McJackson is playing around, and the wonderful Doctor Jackson is having the baby to keep it all together. It would explain the..."

"Stop right there, House," she stepped forward, leaning on his desk as she continued, looking annoyed, "Sam is a lot better than that. Daniel wants to give her a baby so she doesn't have to…"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah right. No-one does anything without a motive. He wants something… maybe sympathy…"

She smiled. "You don't really know Daniel, do you? He would give his life for people he didn't even know, which he has on numerous occasions. He has his idiot guy moments sometimes but he is the sweetest, most compassionate and selfless man I have ever known." Her smile faded, "You've got to stop looking at people like suspects in a case. You're not in Princeton now."

"Frasier, Frasier, Frasier… you're young and naïve. Men are idiots, women are either manipulative monsters or have stiff moral compasses, and little children are the worst products of the human life cycle, Earth-born or otherwise."

She raised an eyebrow. "Six and half billion people on this planet, not forgetting the billions upon billions of other humans living throughout the Milky Way, and the Pegasus and Ori galaxies, and you think you can fit them into narrow categories. I think you need that… you think everything fits into a puzzle of your making that you have to rationalise every nuance of human behaviour to fit your world view. I may be young in relation to you, and perhaps naïve, but the world doesn't work that way."

"Oh, bitch, bitch, bitch. You know, to begin with, you reminded me of someone I worked with long ago, but now you remind me of my best friend too."

She made her way to the door and said, pointing towards it with her head, "Come on, House, we've got the scientists to look at. How's your nose?"

"Nothing than can't handle a little mortification at the hands of everybody's favourite off-world scientific team. Remind me again how Carmichael managed to get out of this."

She smiled again. "He's overlooking the care of the Ambrosian refugees at the military hospital."

He rolled his eyes as he dropped the ball, getting up. "Of course."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Well, Doc, you have a parasite."

Sam and Daniel exchanged a confused glance as they sat in House's office side-by-side later that day, and Daniel asked, puzzled and admittedly a little scared,

"A parasite?"

Sam asked, "What is it?" She remarked, "It can't be a Goa'uld…" she stroked Daniel's hand as she sensed his fear, "… because I would have sensed it long before now."

House dropped the file that he had been reading down onto the desk and said, "It's located within your abdominal cavity…"

Sam said, still caressing Daniel's hand, "We haven't been off-world for a year now. Could it be from something one of the teams brought back through the 'gate? Is it serious?"

"You'll be dressing it up and sending it on play dates with other parasites. Congratulations, Doc, you've been playing hide the sausage… um, yeah, that metaphor still works here."

Sam and Daniel gazed at each other with a smile, and she kissed the hand she held, saying, "We can tell SG-1 now. It's been killing me keeping this a secret for an entire week."

Daniel smiled. "I know. I came so close to telling Vala. She's been badgering me all week about whether I've taken the elixir or not, and whether I've…" he blushed and Sam smiled, mentally hugging him so they could retain their professional exteriors.

House remarked, "Give it three months and you can enjoy the General's under wired fun bags a lot more."

'_Ssshh, calm down, honey, hitting him is going to get you anywhere. He's just being his usual acerbic self._'

'_Can't I at least blow up his PC?_'

'_Nope, it's SGC property anyhow._'

'_You could call it an alien-related accident… that's happened plenty around here. Come on, you're the General._'

'_Everyone's been saying that._'

House rolled his eyes as he watched the two scientists feigning nonchalance, and he added with a quick raise of his eyebrows, "Just try to lay off the mental domestics… you're bound to blow something, or annoy someone who isn't a moron."


	8. Elementary, my dear children

After she and Daniel had dressed the elder twins for their first day of school, the General got her camera as the boy and girl stood in the middle of the lounge floor. Daniel, straightening Cammie's bunches, asked as he glanced up at his wife,

"Shouldn't you be having the last talk with them?"

Sam replied, standing next to him as she ran her fingers through his hair in a tender gesture, "No, you're much better at this sort of thing than I am… and they listen to you."

'… _unless you don't want to do it, Daniel._'

Her hand moved to his shoulder and his hand came to rest over it as he smiled slightly, replying quietly as he looked up at her, "I'm fine."

They gazed at each other for a moment and then Sam said cheerfully as Daniel got up, "Alright, photo time! Cammie, James, stand up straight."

Daniel picked a whimpering Grace up as Jake and Claire had a noisy tea party in a corner of the room with one of many toy tea sets from their Auntie Carson, and Sam said to the elder twins,

"Say 'cheese'!"

Daniel looked in amusement at Sam's excitement as Cammie and James did as they were told, holding hands and Sam captured the image on her digital camera. She kneeled in front of them, showing them the image before showing Daniel, and he remarked, raising his eyebrows briefly,

"You're getting overexcited."

"Can you blame me?! They're going to school! It's a big day!"

Beaming, she called to the other twins, "Claire, Jake, come on, I'm taking pictures."

Jake cheered, throwing a teacup in the air as Claire scolded him, throwing a teddy bear at him, resulting in a triumphant little smile from the little boy until his father raised an eyebrow at him. Daniel remarked in amusement to Sam as she tried hard not to smile as the younger twins joined their elder siblings,

"Little troublemaker."

"He gets it from you."

Daniel smiled and then asked a squirming Grace, kissing the top of her head, "Come on, Gracie, Mommy's taking a photo."

She shook her head, her head on his shoulder as she whispered, "Don' like pho'os."

Sam smoothed the little girl's hair, gently admonishing the others when they got distracted, and she said, giving the camera to Daniel, "Gracie, don't be silly. You can hold James' hand."

Grace shook her head again, and Sam took the little girl from Daniel, noticing the little mischievous smile. She remarked as she held up the now giggling girl,

"You naughty girl. You're a little troublemaker… just like Daddy. Come on."

She gently kissed the youngest member of the Carter-Jackson family, and stood her in between Jake and Claire. One more round of straightening and scolding later, Sam took another picture as she grinned.

Daniel said softly, smiling slightly, "Honey, they're going to be late."

Sam flashed him a grin. "Just one more."

After placing the camera on top of the TV, setting the timer, she and Daniel sat down on the couch with Cammie and James, and Claire and Jake on their knees, Grace perched in between her parents on Claire and Jake's knees. Sam and Daniel rested their heads together, the latter encouraging everyone to smile a couple of seconds before the flash went off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam and Daniel escorted Cammie and James into the playground of a busy elementary school, holding Claire and Jake's hands, the Archaeologist carrying Grace over his shoulder. Daniel said silently, glancing in concern at his now subdued wife,

'_Sam… I could have done this._'

'_No, I want to. I have to do this. I don't want to but… I'm glad you gave them the talk though. I couldn't have done it without crying. God, I sound like an emotional wreck._'

'_You should try being pregnant._'

She smiled a little as she watched him pout. Her smile faded as they neared the entrance to the school, and they stopped. She let go of Jake's hand and kneeled on the ground in front of the elder twins. She touched their cheeks affectionately and said as they looked a little shy,

"You two be good, ok?" She pressed her lips together as her eyes moistened, the younger twins running around their parents and elder siblings. "I'm so proud of you. It seems like only yesterday you were having fights in the old back yard over a ball game, and now you're all big and going to Kindergarten."

The twins hugged their mother as she hugged them, James whispering as she smoothed the backs of their heads, "Don't cry, Mommy. We're gonna be ok."

Sam, sniffing back her tears, gazed at her children, replying as she kissed them both, "I know you will. I said I wouldn't cry and here I am… crying."

They kissed their mother on the cheek and she stood up, glancing at their father. Daniel put Grace down and kneeled, hugging the elder twins as Sam stopped the younger twins from running too wild. The Archaeologist kissed them both and said, his eyes now moist,

"I'm proud of you too. Now, I want you to behave yourselves, ok? Remember what we talked about earlier."

They both nodded and he said, "Mommy or me will be here later when it's home time, ok? If you don't see either of us, I want you to wait in your classroom."

They nodded again, Cammie saying with a serious nod, "Yes, Daddy."

He smiled at them again and said as the bell rang, teachers gathering at one end of the playground as children began to line up, "Go on, you two."

He slowly stood up, holding Sam's hand as they made sure from afar that their children were joining the correct line, and they waved, the twins waving back. They watched as the teachers led their classes indoors, and Daniel hugged Sam on noticing tears running down her cheeks.

'_So much for twenty-seven years of active service. This feels worse than the worst torture we've been through._'

'_I know… I don't like it but it had to come._' He kissed her. '_Come on, let's go to work._'

She nodded and they gathered their younger children, leaving the school grounds as she remarked silently, '_At least we've got three more years of Jake and Claire, four and a half more of Grace... and six years from when the baby comes. We're going to have to go through with this three times more… maybe we should relish the time we have left before their time is taken up by school and homework and day trips._'

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Taken a trip to the schoolyard, I see, ein General."

Sam, her hand on the locker-room door, looked up and said with a little sigh as House limped towards her in the corridor, "'morning, doctor."

Her hand dropped, and he remarked, "If you want to be the big respectful General, don't kneel on schoolyard asphalt." He gestured to the knees of her jeans with his cane, and he asked in a softer tone,

"How was it?"

She replied, closing her eyes briefly in surprise at his tone and in sadness, "Hard."

He nodded, saying gruffly, "That's something coming from you."

He walked away looking thoughtful as she looked after him for a long moment before proceeding to push the locker-room door open so she could change into combat fatigues.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

House limped into the men's room, pushing open cubicle doors with his cane until he found one where Daniel was kneeling in front of a toilet, vomiting violently. He grimaced and stood behind the Archaeologist, remarking,

"By the distinct lack of a concerned General McBoobs, you're not sharing _everything. _Typical."

After House had helped to clean up the Archaeologist, Daniel asked, now out of the cubicle staring at himself in the mirror, "How did you know I was here?"

House replied, "Well, you weren't in your office and that chirpy amphetamine-dosed fellow treasure hunter of yours says that you live in there when you're not procreating. Figured you were having morning sickness. The curious thing is why you're not letting the General know with your psychic… waves."

Daniel said weakly, washing his face again, "It's not fair on her. She's got a lot to deal with already without feeling the joys of morning sickness again." He held onto the front of the sink with a groan, and House asked, looking mildly concerned,

"What's up?"

Daniel groaned, replying with a small sob, "I feel like crap."

"Well, that's what morning sickness does to you, Danny. You signed up for all this and more when you wanted to get knocked up. Personally, I think you're mad but… no, you're still mad… nuts, in fact."

"You won't tell Sam, will you?"

"If it results in her yelling at me more… no. Come on, let's go to the Commissary. You need to feed your parasite."

Daniel replied, his eyes closed, "I can't hold anything down. I don't know how I held things together at home."

"Well, at least come to the Infirmary… you're highly…" House's pager bleeped and he looked at it before continuing, now distracted, "… dehydrated."

Daniel nodded wearily and idly smoothed the front of his shirt and then paused. House looked at him again as the Archaeologist lifted his shirt and t-shirt up to reveal a swollen abdomen belying the fact that he was in reality only a week or so pregnant. He looked up at House and asked, looking panic-stricken,

"Doctor, what's going on?"

House stared at the abdomen in horror and replied, releasing a long breath and wishing briefly that he was at Princeton again, "I think your babe of a wife might want to see this… and…" he raised his eyebrows with the slightest shred of mirth, "… you'll definitely want to see her."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"My breasts are bigger."

House cleared his throat and remarked, exhaling slowly as a concerned albeit self-conscious Sam sat on the edge of a gurney, "I can see that, General."

She looked past him at a rather worse for wear Daniel taking a seat, and she asked, even more concerned, "Daniel?"

She looked at House again, the doctor replying when the other medical staff were out of earshot, "The big bad naughty Archaeologist has been hiding his morning sickness."

Now confused, she asked, looking back at Daniel, "How did you manage to hide that?!"

"That's not all Lazarus is hiding."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With the briefing room sealed off from the rest of the base, House, supported by his cane, stood at the front of the room, addressing a group consisting of Sam, Daniel, Cam, Jonas, Carmichael and Cassie. The doctor stood next to a whiteboard that was carefully positioned so as not to be in the lines of sight of any of the briefing room cameras.

"Usually, this would be a medic only affair but…" he cocked his head "… seeing as this sort of thing crosses divides between quite a few fields, internal and external to medicine, we're going to have a cross-scientific-military-whatever mind meld."

He wrote the words 'male pregnancy', 'one-and-a-half weeks', 'accelerated development', and 'big boobs' on the board, and continued, hitting it with his cane, "Right, for ten, who can tell me why not only the General's ample bust is considerably larger but also why the… _enlargement_ happened within a couple of minutes?"

Everyone looked thoughtful at the question, and Cam raised his hand briefly, asking with a smirk at an embarrassed Sam when House looked at him, "Stimulation?"

"May I remind you that answers that embarrass the General, whilst being humorous, won't help us to do anything… except maybe laugh. I say 'maybe' because 'stimulation' was so predictable… Damn, why didn't _I_ think of that?!"

House paused and looked around, asking, "Where's Worf?"

Daniel replied quietly, "He's with the Hak'tyl. He'll be coming back to say goodbyes a little later."

"Right."

House sighed, and Cassie, embarrassed, said by way of suggesting a solution to the original problem, "Contraceptive pills work by tricking the body into thinking that it's pregnant by releasing oestrogen and progesterone into the bloodstream, which has, in some cases, resulted in weight gain." House rolled his eyes. "Progesterone, oestrogen, and other hormones like FSH and LH work together to produce the overall end result of larger breasts."

House snapped, looking sceptical, "Hello, civilian Doctor Jackson's pregnant… not Air Force Doctor Jackson."

"But for that to happen, there would have had to have been some process involving Daniel receiving Sam's ova. If this was an opening somehow, then why couldn't it go two ways?"

Carmichael nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, that makes sense. The last time Doctor and General Jackson were pregnant, only the General's breasts enlarged during the second and third trimesters. She was the only one who lactated after birth, despite Daniel having gone through the birth process too."

House frowned as he pressed the handle of his cane to his forehead in thought, and Sam said, her cheeks colouring ever so slightly, "So, I gave him my ova, and possibly, by the same process, Daniel gave me some of the progesterone and oestrogen from the elixir that he drank."

House opened his eyes and remarked, lowering the cane, "The fluid exchange that typically takes place during sex."

He wrote some words down on the whiteboard. "I'm thinking the good Doctor didn't wipe his mouth after drinking the crazy elixir, and the outrageous concentrations of oestrogen and progesterone, when ingested by the General…"

Cam and Jonas, smirking nonetheless, looked increasingly awkward as Sam and Daniel blushed deeply, Carmichael clearing his throat as Cassie reddened, lowering her head, "… resulted in the bigger boobs, funnily enough in sync with his foetus. And… to explain the General's part of the exchange… Doctor Jackson, don't take this the wrong way, but I would like to examine your winkle for any signs of apertures through which…" The doctor sighed and said, looking defeated as Cam guffawed, "You get the picture… Colonel Mitchell obviously does. I wonder what your wife feels about your apparent homoerotic fixation."

House glared at the Colonel for a moment and then tapped the board with his cane, near the written words 'accelerated development'. He said gruffly,

"Now class, next problem. Doctor Jackson's foetus is now roughly at a similar development stage to one of twenty weeks. As many of you may know, this is impossible seeing as he got knocked up a week and a half ago… but then again, _he_ is pregnant. He's also exhibiting morning sickness, common during the first trimester _but_ he somehow shifted to second trimester within the space of minutes."

Daniel replied, looking drained as a concerned Sam squeezed his hand, "I think I know why that is."

"Care to share with the rest of the class?"

"Time is relative."

Sam and Jonas' faces lit up almost simultaneously as Cassie and Cam smiled slightly, the General saying, practically bouncing up and down in her seat, "Of course! The ascended Ancients don't experience time in the same way that we do, if at all…"

House raised an eyebrow and remarked grumpily, looking around at everyone accusingly, "Alright, who gave the General with the bigger boobs amphetamines? That has _so_ ruined the next prank I have in store. Damn."

Sam glared at House for a moment before Daniel said, smiling slightly in amusement at first, "Time is immaterial on the Ascended's plain of existence. The Isle of the Blessed is on one of many plains between them and us, so it would only make sense that time flows there differently…"

House frowned and downed a couple of pills before remarking, "You could have come up with something a little more Zen involving metaphors about rivers." He exhaled sharply. "So… because your crazy elixir is from La Isla Bonita with the killer Amazon babes where their rivers flow faster in relation to ours, it's working on you faster. _However_, because you're good ol' human, you're acting as though you're in your first trimester… which explains the ickiness. _And, _let's not forget that the elixir contains oodles and oodles of oestrogen and progesterone."

Carmichael and Cassie appeared stunned as they looked at House, and Jonas asked, raising his hand briefly, "So… ah, will Daniel be going through the symptoms of the third trimester after the baby's born?"

House pressed the handle of the cane to his head once again, before replying, "No. There's got to be some overlap somewhere. We'll have to monitor your condition closely, _obviously_." He exhaled as everyone looked sombre, especially Daniel and Sam, and he raised his eyebrows, "On the upside… congratulations, Doctor Schwarzenegger. It's a boy."


	9. Discussions

As Daniel lay on a bed in an Isolation room with several monitors hooked up to him, Sam sat at his side, holding his hand. He gazed up at her and remarked with a little smile, looking drained,

"Always something."

He closed his eyes, making a humming noise of comfort in his head as she ran her fingers through his hair, gazing down at him with a mirroring smile. She replied softly,

"Tell me about it. Getting pregnant, Ancient prophecies, defeating the Ori, the Wraith and the Asurans, managing to get me pregnant against several million odds, more Ancient prophecies, dying… and now you actually intend to be pregnant and it looks like our baby's coming quicker than expected."

She kissed him and he replied quietly, still smiling, "He's a speed freak like his Daddy. God, I can't believe we're having another boy."

She held his hand to her lips as she said, "We could name him after Dad… your Dad."

His smile faded and he turned his face away from her, saying sadly, "No, Sam."

"Well, why not?"

He turned back to her and said, now looking annoyed, "You know very well why. He cheated on Mom… he cheated on a pregnant woman. He left her in the middle of the night, by herself, so he could…" He sniffed back oncoming tears. "No, Sam. No."

She said soothingly as he shut his eyes, her fingers caressing his jaw, "Daniel, he's your Dad."

"No, he isn't."

"Come on, we've been over this. He did what he did because he loved my Mom, but he loved your Mom too. You don't know what it's like to openly love two people at the same time. It can get pretty complicated. I'm sure if he could do it all over again, he'd never hurt your Mom."

"No, he would have run off with your Mom."

She smiled slightly, a little bemused as she rested her head next to his on the pillow, and she remarked fondly, "You're cute when you're grumpy, but you're even cuter when you're not." She kissed his cheek and he turned to her, kissing her lips as he whispered silently,

'_Sorry Sam… I… I guess I still have issues about that whole thing._'

'_Ya think?!'_

'_God, that reminds me… Jack's going to love this latest development._'

She smiled in amusement, smoothing his swollen abdomen as she remarked, '_Well, this is our baby… not his._'

He groaned. '_I want to feel like I'm in my second trimester. I seem to remember that being a __**lot**__ of fun last time.'_

She laughed, remarking, '_Pregnancy or not, if you had your way, we'd stay in bed all day and all night.' _She suddenly winced a little, her hand going to her chest, and he asked, worried as he tried to sit up,

"Sam?"

She shook her head, stopping him from getting up as she replied with a slow smile, "Tingly boobs. I've been pregnant three times and I'm still not used to it."

"Show off."

"Well… yeah." Her head still on the pillow, she said, her hand on his chest, "I can't believe you have an extra tube in your little Daniel. I would have thought that Doctor Carmichael or Carolyn would have picked it up the last time."

He smiled, his cheeks reddening, and she continued, smiling at him as he gazed at her, touching her jaw, "Daniel, we've been together for about seven years in total… and you still get embarrassed. Come on, I've seen it… a lot… and it is _definitely_ not something to be embarrassed about."

He kissed her and replied to her original remark as she slipped into a pleasant daydream, "It's unnerving knowing that that elixir gave me an extra tube. Who knows what else it's done to me that hasn't been picked up?"

She snapped out her daydream, gazing at him with concern, "Anything else would have been picked up or you would have noticed it."

They kissed and she said with a sigh as he continued to caress her jaw, "It's just as well Cam offered to pick the twins up. I would have done it but I can't leave you."

"You rang Mrs Spencer to tell her, didn't you?"

She nodded and remarked with a little smile, "So much for telling them to wait for either you or me." Her smile faded. "I hope we're not always too busy for them."

He kissed her gently. "We won't be. Don't beat yourself up. It just so happened that I'm stuck here in the Infirmary, and you're too damn stubborn to leave me for an hour."

She made a noise of disbelief and then swatted him across the chest playfully, retorting as he smirked, "_Too stubborn_?! Look who's talking!"

The door swung open, startling the two of them despite their abilities, and House remarked, "Sorry to break up the foreplay…" He limped into the room, glancing at the monitors, "Judging by that heart rate, you haven't got very far and you've got to be good 'cos General McBoobs isn't grumpy." As the Jacksons looked embarrassed, House continued, "Well, 'Ova Tube'… baby's doing fine apart from the fact that he's dressed up as a twenty week old. We're going to have to do daily check-ups on you to monitor him though… and General, you might have to do your smoke and mirrors thing."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Later that evening, his shift over, House pulled up on his motorbike outside of his apartment building. He dismounted, pulling his cane out of the back of his jacket after taking his helmet off, and he locked up the bike. He was about to limp into the building when a voice behind him called,

"Doctor House!"

He stopped and turned slowly, remarking grumpily as a man in a black suit pushed himself off the side of a black sedan, "James Wilson's the name… I'm an Oncologist."

The man, who looked to be in his early-to-mid forties with some faint scarring all over his face, jogged across the street to him, saying with an amused look, "Ah, I've heard of your acerbic sense of humour. No, I'm pretty sure you're Doctor Gregory House."

When House stared at him blankly, the man continued, offering his hand and then slowly putting it down when the doctor didn't shake it, "I'm Alan Smithee from the NID. You may have heard of my organisation."

House cocked his head and remarked, "Right, the National Intelligence Division. I've heard of your name too… it's a pseudonym. Film directors use it in credits when they want to disassociate themselves from a film because they've been wrested of creative control."

Smithee smiled slightly and said, gesturing down the street with his head, "Let's take a walk, Doctor."

House said wryly as he put hung his helmet on his bike, "Yes, let's."

The two men walked down the street, the doctor limping, and Smithee said, his hands in his pockets, "I hear Doctor Jackson's pregnant again."

House said with a brief raise of his eyebrows, "Yes… she is."

"Clever. I see you've been working on that discretion of yours."

House asked, his brow knitted in confusion, "Who are you?"

"Who am I? Well, I am the man who can ensure that you could be in charge of a diagnostic medicine department at any hospital in the United States… tip-top references, the lot."

House stared at him as Smithee continued, looking at him briefly, "…providing that you surrender him to the NID. His pregnancy is as a result of something acquired through 'gate travel, directly or indirectly, which means that it is the NID's responsibility." He paused, raising a hand, "And don't get any ideas. There are fifteen highly skilled marksmen trained on our present position. You will be neutralised if you attempt to escape."

Smithee stopped at a parking meter on which an empty coffee cup had been placed, and House watched as a couple of seconds later, a bullet silently entered the cup, crumpling it as the doctor looked on in muted consternation. Smithee looked at him in quiet triumph before saying as he patted him on the shoulder,

"Nice meeting you, doc. I'll let you think about my offer. And of course, any attempt to contact the SGC will be monitored. Have a good evening."


	10. Farewells

Daniel, his abdomen now flat thanks to a Nox inspired illusion; Sam, Jack, Cam, Vala, Jonas, Carolyn, Uncle George, Landry and assorted 'gate personnel were gathered in the gateroom to bid Teal'c farewell as the Jaffa prepared to leave Earth for a life with Ish'ta and the Hak'tyl, Ish'ta waiting in the middle of the gateramp.

Jack and Teal'c clasped each other's forearms and nodded, maintaining eye contact in true Jaffa fashion, and the Lieutenant-General remarked, patting him on the shoulder, "You'll always have a room at my place if this… doesn't work out."

Teal'c smiled slightly and bowed his head, replying, "It has been a great honour to fight by your side for the duration that I did."

"Right back at ya, T… you know… I did get that clearance for you and Ish'ta… so if the missus changes her mind…" Jack raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Teal'c's smile widened and he replied, his hand on the General's shoulder, "I am grateful, O'Neill, but it will not be necessary. Ish'ta has made it quite clear that she does not wish to reside with the Tau'ri."

"Give the girl some credit… it's tough moving cities never mind a whole planet. All the best, buddy. You'll be missed."

"And I will miss you and our travels. I have learnt much from you despite your infuriating manner and your propensity to antagonise the foe. You are an honourable warrior."

Jack stared at him blankly for a moment before saying, "I heart you too."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Teal'c engulfed Daniel in a big hug, the Archaeologist resting his head against the Jaffa's large chest as he whispered, his own arms around Teal'c, "I'm going to miss you, Teal'c. I wish you could stay with us."

Teal'c, in an uncharacteristic gesture, kissed Daniel's hair and replied, "Indeed. I will visit as much as I am able… and you are more than welcome to visit the Hak'tyl." The Jaffa discreetly smoothed Daniel's stomach and continued in a whisper, "And I wish to see your child when he is born."

"If we get clearance to do so, we'll bring him with us."

Teal'c smiled against the Archaeologist's hair, "That will be most enjoyable. Your son will grow into a strong warrior and a man of great courage and principles like you."

He continued, his smile fading, "I have always tried to protect you, DanielJackson… at first because of my transgressions and then because of your honour in battle. Each time, however, you always discover some way to protect me and I do not believe that I have fully repaid my debt to you."

Daniel looked up at him. "Teal'c, you owe me nothing."

"On the contrary. You have taught me many things, including the power of forgiveness and self-sacrifice. You were not trained in battle but you fought bravely, shoulder to shoulder with battle-hardened warriors. You are indeed a noble, courageous warrior with a gentle soul… and it was the greatest honour to fight by your side for so long."

Daniel sniffed back oncoming tears and remarked as he rested his head on Teal'c's chest again as a concerned Sam mentally hugged him, "Sorry, I keep crying."

Teal'c rested his forehead against Daniel's. "There is no shame between friends. Crying is not a sign of cowardice – it is one of compassion and grief." The Jaffa kissed Daniel's forehead tenderly.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You've been a fantastic friend, warrior... everything, on and off the battlefield, Teal'c." Sam wiped her eyes as Teal'c hugged her, "I promised I wouldn't cry but here I am… I am going to miss you. I miss you already. I just wish there was some way to keep you here but evidently, that's not going to happen, so my only wish is that you have a great life. You really have earned it."

"GeneralJackson, you have destroyed my initial preconceptions of you time-and-time again, as a woman and as a warrior. You are indeed the bravest, most courageous woman that I have met, rivalling many of the bravest Jaffa." He smiled slightly. "That does not do you justice. Never before have I encountered a woman so formidable when faced with a foe but with such a beautiful spirit. Your children are indeed blessed to have such a mother, and DanielJackson is triply blessed and more to have such a wife and confidant."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"I would say that I wish you wouldn't go, but two senior officers have beaten me to that already as well as my former boss, so… Aww, c'mere, T."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Well, Muscles, I would jump on your back but I'm carrying a Mitchell. I just hope you have the most wonderful nights in a soundproofed hut."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You know, you started off hating my guts, and to be fair, I, ah… so did I. I wasn't proud of, ah, what happened, but we, ah, eventually became friends. It's been great. I never thought I'd actually be on the verge of crying when this moment came, but… I'm going to miss you, Grandpa Teal'c."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After the farewells, Teal'c stood before his friends as they all looked at him and he smiled slightly. He turned and the members of SG-1, past and present, stood at the base of the ramp with him as Ish'ta joined him, all of them looking up at the 'gate as Walter initiated the dialling sequence.

The 'gate dialled, the full complement of SG-1 escorted the two Jaffa up the gateramp. They stopped halfway and Teal'c said, looking at them one last time, "Farewell, my family."

Teal'c smiled slightly at Ish'ta, taking her hand as they gazed at each other, and they stepped through the event horizon, Jack calling, "Call as soon as you get in."

When the wormhole disengaged, they all looked at each other with quiet sighs, and then walked down together, Sam discreetly holding Daniel's hand as Jack remarked, patting her shoulder and wary of their surroundings,

"So Carter, I hear Space Monkey knocked you up again."


	11. A Shooting

House sighed as he limped out to this bike early one morning, his eyes everywhere. It had been a week since he had been threatened by the NID Agent, and he hadn't managed to sleep for most of it, being constantly wracked with worry and paranoia. His apartment being ransacked twice hadn't helped, along with many anonymous notes putting threats on his life. He hadn't reported any of the incidents and had carefully hidden his emotions from both the General and her husband, hoping that Gandhi's principle of passive resistance would work for him this time, and the NID would simply get off his back.

He mounted the bike, thrusting his cane down the back of his jacket before putting his helmet on. Just as his hands moved from the helmet to the handlebars, his foot ready to rev the bike up, he felt something hot and searing enter his right leg. He grimaced, falling off the bike in pain and he looked up to see a shrouded figure in black with a gun, who said in a muffled voice,

"We gave you enough rope to hang yourself, goldbricker. You're a doctor so you know that a shot to the stomach is the slowest way to die. Sayonara."

He felt a searing pain in his stomach before all faded into black, a scream sounding as his pain began to fade.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, her arms around a pregnant albeit naked and slumbering Daniel, woke up with a groan as the phone next to their bed rang, and she wondered as she leaned over her husband how he almost always managed to sleep through something akin to a riot. Still holding him, she said with a drowsy and irritated voice into the phone,

"What is it?!"

What she heard woke her up and she said, gently letting Daniel go as she sat up, "Right… what time… Ok. I'll be there as soon as I can."

She put the phone down and carefully got out of bed, running out of the room to shower. He stirred and asked drowsily, watching her retreating figure, "Sam, what are you doing?"

She replied silently from the bathroom, '_I've got to get to the base._'

She felt him get up and she continued, '_Honey, it's ok, stay in bed. You need the rest. I'll go._'

She didn't hear anything until she felt arms around her waist in the shower, and she turned around as he said, gazing at her worriedly, "No, I'm coming with you."

"What about the kids? Cammie and James have to be up for school in three hours. Stay here. God, I wish I didn't have to leave you like this."

She kneeled, kissing his bump as she whispered to their unborn child, "Sorry baby but Daddy's got to leave you and Mommy. I'll be back later." She smiled when she felt the baby kick in reply, and she stood up, kissing her now tearful husband, who asked,

'_What if the baby comes?'_

'_He won't. He hasn't even turned yet. You're going to be fine.'_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Leaving her car in the car park after going through all of the security checkpoints, Sam showed her ID card at the front desk. When she had been signed in, she turned and was greeted by Walter. Sam asked as the two of them walked to the lifts,

"Ok Walter, brief me."

They entered a lift, Walter pressing the button that would take them to the level that the Infirmary was on, and replied as the doors slid shut, "Doctor House was shot twice at point-blank range at around 0400 hours this morning. A witness called an ambulance and the Paramedic sent him straight here on finding the doctor's ID card."

The doors opened and they navigated the corridors that would lead them to the Infirmary, and Walter continued, "He also sustained injuries to his back which the Paramedic on the scene put down to the doctor's cane which had been lodged in the back of his jacket. Whether that was by the assailant or…"

Sam said, shaking her head, "No… he does that from time-to-time when he's riding."

"Ok, Ma'am."

"Any idea who the perp is?"

"Uh… the witness heard Doctor House fall off his bike, and she witnessed the second shot from a man in black. She said that he was wearing a balaclava and he fled the scene in a black sedan with no number plates."

"Damn."

"My sentiments exactly, Ma'am. The doctor's currently in surgery and Ballistics are waiting for Doctor Warner to extract the bullets so they can analyse them. They're hypothesising that it could be military, black ops in particularly seeing as the witness reported that the shots were silent… Ma'am, he's pretty messed up."

She nodded, even more worried as they walked into the Infirmary where a worried Cassie was waiting. "Thank you, Walter."

Walter nodded and left, and Cassie said, looking angry and sad, "I wish I could find the bastard who did this. God, stuff like this happens in the freakin' X Files, not in real life."

Sam, sensing the doctor's outrage and grief, hugged her and said, angry herself, "We'll find him, Cass." Confused, she then asked, looking down at the younger woman, "Wait, what do you mean by X Files?"

"They shot him in the leg and then in the stomach. They obviously wanted him dead but as painfully as possible… and he would have died had that bastard not been seen."

"Damn."

Glancing at the door of the operating theatre, Sam asked, slowly letting Cassie go, "Are you ok?"

Cassie replied, composing herself, "I will be. It's just a lot. House may be a total and utter bastard but he's grown on me."

Sam smiled despite their anger and she replied, patting the younger woman's shoulder, "Same here." She sighed. "I'm going to go in there."

Cassie, surprised, said, "Sam. You could go in the observation room."

Sam shook her head and remarked, "That place annoys me. It's like the torment of Tantalus up there sometimes." She smiled at the doctor, "I promise I'll suit up first."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, having scrubbed up, slipped into the operating theatre as Warner and his team worked on an unconscious House. The surgeon glanced up at the General and asked,

"General Jackson, what are you doing here?"

"Just watching, Doctor. What's going on?"

Warner glanced up at Carmichael, who replied to the General's question, Cassie and several other medics watching from the observation room, "Two shots at point-blank range. One in the same place as his infarction… the other through the top of his stomach."

Sam stood behind the doctor as he pointed out parts of a wound on House's thigh, "You can see extensive gunpowder burns around the entry wound and we found unexploded gunpowder there too during the pre-op on both wounds, indicating that the doctor was shot at point-blank range."

"Did you get the bullet out yet?"

"No, Ma'am. Preliminary X-rays showed that it's lodged in bone. The other bullet ricocheted off a rib and is currently lodged dangerously close to his spine. He's got severe internal haemorrhaging and we've yet to work on his back. It doesn't look good."

Sam nodded in a grim acceptance, looking increasingly sad and she stepped back, watching the medics continued to work on House.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel, having dropped the younger twins and Grace off at Cam's after the Colonel had insisted due in no small part to the Archaeologist's condition, dropped off the elder twins at school. He smiled, discreetly smoothing his stomach as he watched them run around with their friends, and he sighed softly.

He got back into his car and was about to start the engine when he felt an arm around his neck, pinning him to his seat. As he looked around, panic-stricken but trying to keep his cool, a man with a familiar voice hissed in his ear, the chilling feel of the business end of a 9 mm to his temple,

"Good morning, Doctor Jackson."

Daniel felt a stinging sensation in his neck and, as he felt his life ebbing away from him, he used his last ounce of strength to alert his wife.

'_Sam!!'_


	12. Onus

Sam emerged from the operating theatre, lowering her mask and she closed her eyes, leaning against the wall and rubbing her face with her hands. She moved her hands and discovered, even to her surprise, that she was crying, and she said silently,

'_Daniel, it doesn't look good._'

When she didn't get an answer, she was about to ask again when she felt something cold on her right temple that felt suspiciously like the barrel of a 9 mm, something across her throat that pressed her head back into the wall, and then a stinging sensation in the side of her neck. Confused and scared, she felt these areas with her hands and, finding nothing, she was about to reach out to him again when she heard him scream her name she felt as though he had faded away.

Overcome by a confusing mixture of panic as well as grief at House's condition not improving, she slid down the wall and began to cry into her hands, Cassie running to her side.

"Sam!"

Cassie sat down at her side, her arms around Sam as she began to sob. "He's gone."

"Oh… honey, no, don't give up. They'll find a way…"

Sam took a deep breath and replied with a sniff, "No… not just House… Daniel. Daniel's gone. I think someone's kidnapped him."

Her own words sank in and she stood up with a new determination as a worried Cassie followed her, asking as the General, taking her surgical scrubs off, closed her eyes, "Sam?"

Sam replied as she began to fade away in orbs of bluish white light, "Hold down the fort, Cass… I'm going to Cam's."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Jackson's taking his time."

Cam sat down and then got up again, pacing the floor of the Mitchell lounge as he looked worried, and Vala said with a concerned expression, reclining on the couch as she smoothed her bump, watching Francis play with Claire, Jake and Grace, "You should have gone with him. The man's a trouble magnet."

"He's damn stubborn too."

Vala suddenly looked at the doorway from the lounge to the hallway and said as Cam's attention snapped to her, "My Naquadah senses are tingling… it feels like Sam. I don't usually feel her that suddenly though."

A couple of seconds later, Sam, in civilian clothes walked into the lounge, now looking awkward despite the tear tracks on her face, and Cam stepped towards her, surprised nonetheless, "Sam, what happened? Is Doctor House ok?"

Sam's face fell and she released a shuddering breath. Glancing at Vala in worry as she slowly got up, Cam gently pulled the General into his arms as she whispered, her eyes closed,

"House's condition hasn't improved… and I think Daniel's been kidnapped."

Instantly worried, Vala asked as Cam looked at her, "How do you know?"

Sam gave them a summary of what she had felt, and Vala remarked, looking distressed, "I told you that you should have gone with him, Cameron."

Vala hugged Sam as well before the General somehow composed herself, saying, "We need to find him…" She took a deep breath, glancing at her children playing and she forced herself into a state of composure once again.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With Cam in the driving seat, he, Jonas and Sam drove to Daniel's last known whereabouts, looking for any clues. Sam, in the passenger seat as a precaution in case Daniel's kidnappers decided to torture him, said with a worried expression,

"I don't know what these guys want, whoever they are. They took him after he'd dropped the twins off… how could they possibly know about the baby?"

Cam replied, his jaw clenching and unclenching with anger directed at Daniel's kidnappers, "The same way they did the last time they kidnapped him."

She closed her eyes. "At least the twins are safe… I should have brought everyone to the mountain. He wanted to come but I told him to get some rest."

Jonas, in the backseat, squeezed her shoulder consolingly, saying softly, "You couldn't have known, Sam."

The Kelownan froze and then said quietly, sitting up straighter as he pointed something out to the Colonel as they approached the school, "Cam, it's Daniel's car."

Sam sat up straighter too, looking hopeful as Cam nodded, parking up behind the car. Sam flew out of the car, peering into Daniel's as they quickly followed. Covering her hand with her shirt sleeve, she pulled the door open and found it to be unlocked, much to her dismay. She kneeled on the pavement, looking in as Cam looked in the back, Jonas checking the boot and under the bonnet for explosive or tracking devices. She got up, shutting the door and said, flipping her mobile open,

"Ok, Quinn, stay here."

She called into her phone for the Forensics team and SG-5 to oversee the proceedings. Putting her phone away, she continued, looking at Jonas,

"You need to stay here to ensure that the evidence doesn't get tampered with. The keys are still in the ignition." She looked at Cam, "Mitchell, you're with me. We're getting directions… hopefully."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With Cam in the driving seat again, Sam on the phone, relaying directions from Walter back at the mountain, the Sergeant tracking the Archaeologist's position in transit through his subcutaneous locator chip, the two officers drove out of Colorado Springs.

After an hour, Sam asked, sounding worried, "Sergeant?"

Cam glanced at her, worried, and asked, "General, what's going on?"

Sam whispered, closing her phone, "Sierra Golf niner. Code Foxtrot Alpha Six."

Cam asked, the phrase sounding familiar, "Foothold situation?"

Sam nodded gravely and said, "We have a foothold situation at the SGC. I've got to phone Jack. I heard a gun cocking in the background, and if it was SGC personnel, Walter wouldn't have said that."

She said as she dialled Jack's number, her elbow resting on the open window of the passenger seat, "… which leaves the Trust."

When Jack grumpily answered, she apologised and gave him a rundown of the little she knew of the foothold situation, Daniel's abduction, and House's shooting which she now surmised wasn't unrelated to the previous two. This had the effect of the older General snapping into action.

She disconnected and turned to Cam, saying, "I don't know what to do. If we follow Daniel… if we find him, we might be walking into a trap and Doctor House could die. If, on the other hand, we go back who knows what will happen…and Daniel might die or be experimented on."

She asked him as he concentrated on driving, "What would you do?"

Surprised, he asked, glancing at her, "What would I do?"

"Yes."

"I say we bust in there and get Jackson and then go back. There isn't a right answer – it's one of those ethical dilemmas that Jonas keeps talking about. However, there is a baby involved although House is dying. Dammit." He punched the steering wheel in frustration and remarked, "There's nothing in basic training about what to do in something like this."

"Risk evaluation, Mitchell."

He sighed. "I meant something a little more clear cut."

She put a hand on his knee and said softly, knowing that he was worried about Vala, "I can drive if you want."

He shook his head and replied quietly, "We're going to save the day, if it kills us… ok, maybe _not_ that far."

She nodded and suddenly gasped, whispering when he glanced at her in concern, "He's awake."

He said quickly, "See if you can talk to him."

She mentally reached out to Daniel, hugging him as she asked, '_Honey?_'

She felt his fear and she calmed him, worried as she felt how weak he was, and he asked groggily, '_Sam? What happened? Where are you?'_

'_Sshh, honey. Me and Mitchell are on our way to get you. I need you to stay calm. The situation at present is that you've been kidnapped, Doctor House's condition is worsening… and to cap it all off, there's a foothold situation at the SGC.'_

'_Wow… it all happens when I'm out for the day.'_

'_Honey, can you tell me where you are?'_

After a long pause, Cam intermittently glancing at her, she heard Daniel whisper, '_Uh-oh… they're here. Sam, they're here…_' He paused again and said as a disturbing mental image swam in her mind, '_It's Agent Merek again… and… Pete._'

She said aloud, forgetting herself, "Pete?!"

'_Yep._'

Cam asked, glancing at her again, "Pete?"

Sam closed her eyes and said, her voice a little hoarse, "James Merek and Pete Shanahan are involved."

Cam remarked angrily, "Bastards… right, Jackson's our first priority. They're gonna experiment on him." He calmed down a bit. "Ok, I need you to focus, Sam. You can feel him so you can home in on where he is."

She nodded as she continued to mentally hug Daniel, and she closed her eyes. Concentrating on the sounds of Daniel's thoughts and his emotions, she homed in on him, coming closer and closer to him. Soon, she was next to him in a white hospital room, and she smoothed his forehead, unseen as she saw Merek and Pete standing in amongst a group of what appeared to be doctors and nurses.

Forcing herself to focus, she rose above the room, seeing many armed men lining the room and the surrounding corridors, what looked to be a white version of the Anti-Prior device which for some reason she couldn't get closer to. She rose higher until she could see the top of what appeared to be an abandoned hospital. Rising ever higher, she saw where the hospital was in relation to Cam's car, and she closed her eyes, returning to her own body.

Opening her eyes again, she said, breathing heavily from her trip, "He's in an abandoned hospital, approximately seventy miles from here… north of Denver."

He asked, "Can't you beam us there?"

"No… it's a trap. They've got what looks like the Anti-Prior device but it's white and when I tried to get closer to it, it wouldn't let me…" She paused on hearing Daniel whisper weakly,

'_It's a variation of the Anti-Prior device, programmed to disable an Ancient's power…They've already threatened to set it to kill if I try to escape… which means that you can't come in without Sophia or you being harmed.'_

"… damn, they had to go and invent something like that!" When Cam glanced at her again, she continued, "It disables an Ancient's powers…but it also has a kill setting on it."

She turned to Cam and said suddenly, "We need a plan…I'm going to be orb back to the SGC to heal Doctor House and I'll come back with some weapons. Are you going to be ok?"

The Colonel nodded, remarking with an uneasy smile, "Sure… another SG adventure… of course I am." He glanced at her in concern and said, "Godspeed, General."

"You too, Mitchell. Don't go over the limit – we need to get there as soon as possible."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam orbed into a closet in the Infirmary and emerged, invisible, out into the wider Infirmary. She walked into the operating theatre, watching Warner and his team still working on House, the door guarded by armed men in black suits who looked on, slack jawed at the rather gory proceedings.

The General stood at House's bedside right as Carmichael called, "His vitals are dropping, Doctor! He's going into vi-fib!"

Tears falling down her cheeks, she watched as a nurse injected House with something, Warner rubbing the paddles of a defibrillator together and shouting,

"Clear!"

Composing herself, she watched as they struggled to resuscitate the doctor, and she raised her hands over his prone form. She closed her eyes as a yellowy-white glow emanated from her hands, bathing House's body in the light. She focussed hard, seeing capillaries, veins, arteries and organs close up as she worked on fixing his many injuries. The bullets that were still lodged in him flew out into surgical containers as Warner dropped the defibrillator paddles in shock, every one of the medical staff and the men in black dumbfounded at the sight.

A few minutes later, after removing several surgical instruments, she finished healing him, the blood disappearing from where he had been cut open during the previous procedure. Smiling slightly in relief, despite being tired, she watched as House woke up with a huge intake of breath, sitting up on the table and staring grumpily at everyone around him as he remarked,

"What is it, 'ogle the glassy-eyed doctor day'?! Why am I naked?"

Sam whispered in his head, tenderly caressing his temple, '_It's ok, House. It's all going to be ok._'

The doctor looked around in confusion as she left, still unseen, and Carmichael whispered to the ceiling, only Warner hearing him, "Thanks, General."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam assessed the situation as she walked through the base, seeing many, many men in black walking around, all of them armed. She slipped into the Commissary storeroom to eat something so she could function, her energy levels having dropped sharply due to her healing of House.

Afterwards, she went to the briefing room where Richard Woolsey and Malcolm Barrett lay dying on the floor, both men having been shot in their stomachs, and she crouched at their sides, healing their wounds before orbing them to the safety of a storeroom, no-one noticing.

She walked into her office, seeing a man in black sat at her desk, his feet cockily propped up on the wooden surface as he spoke in blunt terms to the President on her red phone, Walter and Reynolds tied up in the corner of the room with what appeared to be bruises from rifle butts on their jaws,

"If you send troops in, we will activate the base self-destruct… and you will not discover the whereabouts of Doctor Jackson."

Angry, she waved her hand and watched as the man suddenly grunted in pain, dropping the handset as he keeled over in his chair. She whispered bitterly in his head, making sure that he heard her as he struggled for his life,

'_You'll never get away with this, bastard. I'll stop you if it's the last thing I do._'

She untied Walter's and Reynolds' restraints, orbing the surprised officers to a storeroom as more men in black spilled into the room, one of them shouting to a few of them, "Find out where they went!"

A group of men ran out of the room as the rest ran to the aid of the man behind the desk as he began to cough up blood. An angry Sam orbed them topside before sensing something.

She left her office and the briefing room, clearing the men in black from the Nursery and from where Vala, Carolyn and Jonas were, making sure that they were all alright before walking into a corridor just as Jack and a group of men emerged from a tunnel, the Lieutenant-General and the others in flak vests and heavily armed. Jack delivered a series of silent hand gestures before jogging down a corridor.

Sam went after him, saying as she appeared in front of the aging General, stopping him in his tracks, "You don't know what you're getting yourselves into. There are men all over the mountain. I've cleared them from the essential areas but I couldn't do everything. I have to get back. I healed House by the way."

Jack patted her on the shoulder and asked as his men jogged past them after the initial surprise of her appearance, "Good job. What's the news on Daniel?"

"Abandoned hospital, north of Denver. Cam's on his way there… and I'm joining him after I raid the armoury. They've got a variation of the Anti-Prior device, which is why I can't go beaming straight in."

"The bastards…"

"It's James Merek… and Pete Shanahan, Sir."

"Carter…"

"Sorry. Jack. It's them. I think the Trust somehow managed to get Pete off Death Row and they've recruited him. I've got to go. I'm running out of time."

Jack murmured a few words into his radio before saying, walking down a corridor, "Come on, Carter. Like old times _although_… we're without Teal'c."

Sam asked, surprised, "What about…?"

"They're big boys. Come on, Armoury and then we're off."

Nodding in acquiescence, she smiled slightly as she held his hand, both of them invisibly walking down the corridor. He looked at her in bemusement and she asked,

"Would you rather do this as your old salient self?"

"Good point."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam nearly leapt out of his skin when a good hour or so after she had left, Sam returned, this time with Jack and a lot of guns, ammo and zats in the backseat. Jack remarked deadpan,

"This is what I miss most about being on SG-1… the action. There's something sexual about bursting into a room, shooting up the place…"

Sam, embarrassed, ducked her head briefly as Cam smiled, remarking, "Nice of you to join us, Sir." He looked at Sam. "How's Vala…and…?"

Sam replied with a reassuring smile, "They're all fine."

"And…?"

"I healed him."

"Good."

Jack asked, "How long 'til we get there?"

Sam looked at her watch as Cam calculated distances in his head, the latter replying, "Not long now, Sir."


	13. Gifts

Daniel, amid a swarm of curious medics, looked up at James Merek and Pete, and asked as he gradually felt weaker and more helpless, "Why are you doing this?"

Merek remarked, feigning nonchalance, "Oh… there are so many reasons, Doc. Curiosity, medical breakthroughs… _revenge_. Ain't that right, Shanahan?" The former IOA representative smirked at a grim Pete, who said icily, his eyes narrowing at the man who he perceived had taken Sam from him,

"That's for frickin' sure."

The Trust agents left, and Daniel said, struggling against his restraints, unable to use his powers, "Let me go! You don't understand what you're doing!"

One of the doctors, a portly man in his mid-fifties, lowered his surgical mask and said, his eyes lighting up with fascination, "No, _you_ don't understand, Doctor Jackson. You have two very unique gifts… the gift of life within you. The first pregnant man… and you have astonishing extrasensory abilities. Do you understand what this means? If this is the next evolutionary step for humankind…"

Daniel groaned as he felt through the haze someone prodding his swollen abdomen. He looked at his bump, panic-stricken, and he asked as some medics hooked up an Ultrasound scanner to him, "What are you doing?"

He cried out in emotional pain as they began to make incisions into his abdomen, the physical pain having been dimmed by a lot of drugs. "You're making a big mistake!"

A nurse smoothed his forehead, shushing him as she said, "Doctor Jackson, I'm going to have to ask you to relax. You're distressing your baby."

Another nurse took a blood sample as someone else injected him with something, which he found almost instantly was to stop him from making any sounds.

"You're going to have to be awake for the procedure, Doctor… a sedative would harm the foetus."

Daniel, terrified, could only watch, tears running down his cheeks as they looked at his now open placenta; his only comfort coming from feeling his wife's warm embrace from goodness knows how many miles away and her consoling thoughts as she tried hard to maintain her cool.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The three Air Force officers discussed their options as they neared their end destination. As Cam focussed harder on driving, Sam said, frowning in thought as she tried to concentrate as distressing and disturbing images and emotions filled her consciousness,

"It just doesn't make sense. Kidnapping Daniel, I can understand… both Agent Merek and Pete have bones to pick with him, and the Trust apparently saw through the tumour story before. But taking control of the SGC? Our enemies have been defeated. There's no threat anymore."

Jack replied grimly, inwardly hoping that Daniel was alright, "Come on Carter… I'm no genius but I know that the SGC is at the forefront of all the big honkin' sciency stuff now despite being classified… and they're glory hogs."

Cam said distractedly, following Sam's directions through Denver as she murmured them, "They're after the 'gate. It's not about the enemy anymore. It's all about the 'gate… which could lead to them controlling Atlantis, the Odyssey and the Apollo… making contact with our allies… blowing up the Lucian Alliance and the Free Jaffa…"

Sam nodded and bit her lip in worry. "They could go anywhere… and they could take Daniel with them. They could ruin everything that we've been doing for the past sixteen years."

She lowered her head, continuing to murmur directions, and Jack leaned forward to squeeze her shoulder, saying, "We're gonna bring him home, Carter."

She replied softly, her voice heavy with emotion, "I know, Jack. It's just that they're experimenting on the baby."

She closed her eyes, tears running down her cheeks as the two men looked dismayed, and Cam, realising something, remarked, "He's been awake for hours and they're messing with him _now_?!"

Sam shook her head and replied, struggling to hold it together for Daniel's sake, "They've been doing it for a while. I didn't want to worry you guys."

Jack remarked angrily, "Damn…" he looked at a now obviously hurt looking Sam. "You've been with the guy too long – you've got his worrying habit of not telling anyone he's lost both his legs."

Sam took a deep breath and looked straight ahead, saying as they neared the hospital that she had seen from up above, "We're almost there."

"You're pretty undermanned, Mom."

Sam put a hand on Cam's hand to calm him as she and Jack turned to the new arrival in surprise, the Astrophysicist saying with a surprised grin on seeing the ascended version of her eldest son from an alternate timeline, "James!"

Jack remarked, a slow raise of his eyebrows the only exterior sign of his surprise, "Nice of you to drop in, Jimmy. How are the rest of the Osmonds?"

As Cam parked up some distance away from the hospital, James replied with a shrug, "They're cool… The Ascended are all a hubbub with the Guardian being kidnapped like this, and with that damn Anti-Ancient device in the picture…"

He remarked with a small smile as they got out of the car, "The things you get up to when I'm away." He looked at his mother cheekily, "How many little CJs do you have now?"

Cam and Jack hid smiles as they armed themselves, Sam saying, amused as well as embarrassed, "Junior, I see you haven't changed." She quickly hugged him and then went about dealing out weapons. "So…"

James replied as he fixed a zat on the waistband of his jeans, "There's only room for five altogether in Uncle Mitchell's car, and Cammie would have come too, but one: it's my turn to help you save the day; and two: we remembered how bad Uncle Jack's flatulence gets on long journeys if he's in a cramped space. Hoo boy, we didn't want to relive our early teens all over again."

Cam, being subordinate to Jack, fiddled with his P-90 to hide a smile as Sam openly chuckled, and Jack remarked, "And I remember you showing your potty to everyone, with your pants down, little boy. We're still trying to revive Doctor Keller."

Sam remarked as they checked all of their equipment, "They're supposed to be getting married today… her and Lorne, McKay and Carson, Shep and Liz. There's no way to get word to Atlantis without going back to the SGC, which may not be practical at present… and we don't know whether the Odyssey has been compromised yet or the Apollo."

The men nodded gravely and Sam took a deep breath, holding everything together for Daniel's sake as she gave out orders, "O'Neill and Jackson, take the rear of the building; Mitchell, you're with me. Radio silence is to be maintained unless absolutely necessary. Let's get this show on the road."

James shook his head and said when his mother looked at him oddly, "Sorry, Mom, but I've worked with Uncle Jack before, even if he doesn't remember because it hasn't happened yet…" He used his eyes on her in a silent plea, making her remember the present James with his father's knack for getting whatever he wanted, and she bit her lip in worry and controlled anguish at the situation and nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As the two teams made their way to the hospital via different routes, Sam asked her son, worried, "So… how are your Dads doing?"

James remarked, looking awkward, "Mo-o-o-m… that makes me sound like I've got more than one Dad… and us CJs aren't of a religious persuasion."

"Well, I feel odd referring to Daniel as 'Daniel' in front of you."

"It's not like you're gonna be baking cookies with me anytime soon."

She gazed at him for a moment, regret in her eyes. "Why not? I have been waiting for so long for you guys to drop in. You might not believe it, but I am your Mom and you do need me."

He shrugged. "I know… it's just…" he looked grim, "it's different now. Right now as it was before we came to save you, me and Cameron were in Egypt with Dad. Right now, in this timeline, the me and Cameron of this timeline are at elementary school with three siblings currently in the on-base Nursery." He reached over to touch her shoulder for a moment, "I wouldn't have minded going to see you and Dad did encourage me, but it just felt weird. You'll never know just how much pain he was in after you left us."

She sighed softly. "I know exactly, Junior. You'll be surprised at how well I know your Dad." She looked at him, squeezing his shoulder briefly, "When we rescue Dad number two out of three, I want you and your sister to come see your brothers and sisters."

Scared, he asked, "What will I say if they ask who I am?"

She smiled and shrugged, "That you're their brother."

The two Jacksons smiled for a moment and then she, in military mode once again, hid with him behind a large dumpster across the road from the hospital so they could assess any potential risks and hazards that would inhibit their entry to said building.

What they saw made the General stop in her tracks – a ring of people in white encircling the building, holding hands. She vaguely made out the figures of Oma, Morgan le Fay, Jacob, the ascended SG-1 from an alternate timeline, and Lilith in amongst the long line-up of people. She turned to her son and asked in a hushed voice, shocked,

"Is that…? Are they…?"

He nodded and remarked with a shrug, "They can get in but they can't do anything with the Anti-Ancient device switched on." He smiled briefly, "And, _no_, no-one else but us can see them. I believe they're waiting for the Listener and the Star of Ma'at, _Mommy_."

She tidied his hair in a maternal gesture as he scowled, and she kissed him on the cheek, saying with a little smile, "I just want you to know how much I love you and your sister, and how proud I am of you. If this doesn't work out…" She shook her head, her smile fading as she trailed off, and she said as his eyes appeared moist,

"Come on, Jackson, move out."

He gazed at his mother for a moment before, remarking in an uneven voice as he swallowed past his anguish, "I've done this with Uncle Jack, Uncle Mitchell… and Uncle Teal'c… Dad on occasion, but never with you. First time for everything, huh?"

"You bet, Junior. Just because you're energy these days, and still find the time to deliberately screw tracking computers up – thanks, by the way – doesn't mean that you're omniscient. Let's go."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As Jack and Cam inconspicuously made their way into the back of the hospital, Sam and James, acting as decoys, walked straight into the entrance, the General having used her powers to darken her hair as a disguise. A solitary guard sat in the reception area, playing Solitaire, and, on seeing the newcomers, he stood up, saying as he reached for his baton instinctively,

"Sorry, you can't come in here."

Sam, feigning distress, said as James acted as though he was in pain, "It's a hospital… the nearest for miles, and my son requires immediate medical attention. He was wiring fuses and one of them blew."

James, as if on cue, remarked, crouched over in pretend pain as the guard began to give them directions to the nearest hospital, "Oh God, Mom, it hurts! Jesus! Do you know what an electrical shock feels like!?" His eyes met the guard's, and the guard, now feeling awkward at having to turn them away, shook his head and said,

"No, I'm afraid not. Look, buddy, I'd…"

Like lightening, James straightened up, discharging a zat bolt at the guard as he remarked with a little grimace, "Kinda like that."

When his mother looked at him, worried, James rolled his eyes and said, acting more and more like his father, "It's… it's a long story. Come on… let's get Dad number two."

She shook her head in disbelief at his attitude towards her concern, and they sprinted down a corridor, slipping into alcoves to escape detection by men in black suits, their eyes everywhere.


	14. Atlantaean Portent

_As in previous stories in the Jackson Junior series, Jennifer Keller is a linguist rather than a medical doctor._

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Meanwhile, over in Atlantis, with their gateroom festooned with white ribbons and flowers for the upcoming triple wedding, Elizabeth, not dressed for her wedding yet, stood on the balcony overlooking the décor with a tense smile. A dark haired toddler ran towards her, burying her face in her mother's legs and, with a smile, the expedition leader lifted the little girl up, holding her to her hip. She asked, gazing at her daughter as she smoothed her cheek,

"What are you doing here, little one? You're supposed to be with Jennifer and Carson."

Charlotte shook her head as she buried her face in her mother's shoulder, whispering, "Don't wanna, Mommy."

Elizabeth kissed the top of her daughter's head and was about to leave the balcony to take Charlotte back to get ready for the wedding when Sheppard, still in his expedition uniform, joined them. The Colonel and his fiancée kissed, the former murmuring as he tenderly caressed the latter's jaw,

"Today's the day. Nervous?"

Elizabeth nodded, remarking with a frown, "I can't help thinking something's going to happen."

He grinned at his now giggling daughter as he picked her up, and he replied, kissing his fiancée again, "Relax, honey… it's natural. Come on… what are the odds of crap happening? The Wraith and the Asurans are out of the picture thanks to our CO's kids… the Genii have lost their drive. We're gonna be fine."

Gently setting Charlotte down so she could run to Jennifer, the linguist holding a younger fair-haired toddler to her hip and giving the expedition leaders a wide berth with a knowing smile, Sheppard gently massaged his fiancée's tense shoulders as she looked out across the gateroom below once again. He gently nuzzled her neck, smiling as he felt her respond eventually, and, wrapping his arms around her waist, he whispered in her ear, holding her close to him,

"It's going to be ok. We're going to be fine. Just take a moment to chill out before you hyperventilate. When have we got to dial Earth again?"

She closed her eyes and smiled, rolling her head back as he placed calculated kisses around the base of her neck. "Hmm… in a minute. While Sergeant Muniz sorts out the technical details, we get changed and Rodney picks up Jeannie. Is Teyla ready?"

He nodded, remarking, "The poor girl's been up all night practicing her lines 'cos she's never officiated at an Earth wedding before. I had Ronon make sure that she got _some_ sleep at least but she managed to get around him."

She chuckled softly and turned to hug him, saying, to reassure herself mostly, resting her head against his chest, "It's going to work out. It's going to be fine."

He smiled against her hair, kissing it, and he remarked in a soft voice, "If you think _you're _on edge… you should see Rodney. The guy's a bag of nerves… he's jabbering to himself and everyone within throwing distance about nothing in particular."

She smiled slightly. "Poor man."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Don't you see? The cat can't be both alive and dead. It's a hypothetical state until you open the box and discover that you've flouted multiple animal cruelty laws by exposing Kibbles to hydrocyanic acid…"

Ronon and Lorne sat in McKay's quarters, watching in muted amusement as a wired up McKay nervously paced the floor, wringing his hands as he rambled, the topic changing from minute to minute. As the Physicist continued to do so, Ronon, bemused, asked Lorne quietly,

"What's he talking about?"

Lorne, confused, shrugged and replied, "I have no idea… I think he's been OD'ing on caffeine. I don't blame him."

Ronon grumbled, remarking, "He should be happy… as I understand it, getting married in your culture means that you can have a lot more sex with a lot less guilt."

Lorne cleared his throat in embarrassment and asked, glancing at the Satedan, "Did… did, uh, Colonel Sheppard tell you that?"

"Yeah."

Lorne grimaced briefly and then said, raising his eyebrows in the direction of the Physicist, "I think we need a plan to save everyone's sanity."

Ronon remarked with smile, "I don't know. I think it's pretty funny."

"Well, you won't if Teyla sees this. She's stressed out as it is 'cos General Jackson couldn't come to officiate."

Ronon's smile vanished in stark realisation. "Damn."

Just then Jennifer walked in, startling Ronon and Lorne as McKay, oblivious to the Linguist's presence, carried on. She walked straight up to the Physicist and kissed him quickly on the lips. This had the effect of stopping the now stammering Physicist, who stared at her wide-eyed as Ronon smirked. Jennifer sat down next to Lorne and asked with a mischievous glint in her eyes,

"How're you doing?"

Lorne shook his head in barely concealed amusement as he remarked, gesturing to a still stunned McKay with his head, "You know where the 'off' switch is. I'm not sure anyone else but Carson could get away with that."

She shrugged, retorting, her eyes lighting up with mischief, "I knew you'd be struggling for things to do."

They kissed as Ronon got up to find Teyla to calm the Athosian down, and Lorne said, glancing past her at the doorway for a moment, "I thought the bride and groom weren't supposed to see each other before the wedding."

She remarked as they got up to leave a stunned McKay to slowly drop into a chair, "Well… as you may notice, my newly promoted Lieutenant Colonel… I'm not dressed..."

He snickered, and she rolled her eyes, continuing as she feigned exasperation, "… for the wedding, Colonel; _for_ the wedding."

She kissed him as they entered their quarters, adding with a mischievous smile, "And besides, we sleep together anyway and we have a kid. Wow. Can you believe we've been together for three years?"

He murmured as he returned her kiss, pushing her up against the now closed door, "Who's counting?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

McKay eventually left the confines of his quarters to find his fiancée, finding her in the Mess as she fed their year old daughter, Samantha. He stooped to kiss Carson and asked as he sat across the table from her,

"Aren't you getting ready yet?"

Carson replied gently as she gazed down at the child in her lap before returning her gaze with to McKay, "Just thought I'd take a wee moment for Samantha's sake." She kissed the top of the baby's head and McKay smiled, suddenly feeling more relaxed.

She remarked as she wiped their daughter's mouth, "I hear you've been explaining the principle of Schrödinger's cat to everyone within earshot… well, right before Jennifer silenced you with a kiss. That girl knows you."

Surprised and admittedly a little embarrassed, he asked, "You… you know?"

She replied with a small smile as she gazed at her husband-to-be, "Aye… and I know you both so don't worry – I'm not gonna be killing her just yet."

He remarked with a mirroring smile as she passed a giggling Samantha to him, "You've got to be my most understanding girlfriend to date."

"Well, now I know, as a woman, that I should beat you within an inch of your life… or at least raise an eyebrow. _To date_?! Tell me, just how many more times were you planning on getting married, Rodney?"

He floundered for words, embarrassed at his slip-up, and she eventually smiled, putting him out of his misery as she watched him smooth their daughter's head as she began to drift off against her father's chest. "It's always fun watching you trying to dig yourself out of ever deepening holes. When are you picking up Jeannie?"

He glanced at his watch and froze, replying as he handed Samantha back, apologising to the little girl, "Ah… soon. I better get changed."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

McKay, dressed in a tuxedo, walked into the gateroom to find Sheppard and Lorne waiting for him, along with Muniz, all three in Air Force dress blues.

The full Colonel remarked with a smirk, "_Rodney_. My, my, my… it's just as well the brides are in hiding otherwise they'd all be over you. How do you feel about polygamy?"

As Lorne chuckled softly, McKay asked, glancing around, "Where is everyone?"

Lorne replied before Sheppard could make another embarrassing remark, "Doctors Weir, Keller and Beckett are in Doctor Weir's quarters…"

Sheppard remarked with a dreamy smile, "Kinky."

McKay glared at him as Lorne smiled slightly. "… Everyone else is waiting for the ceremony."

McKay walked up behind Muniz's seat and said, patting his shoulder, "Sergeant, dial Earth."

Muniz replied with a nod as he began the dialling process, "Yes, Sir."

Sheppard remarked quietly, nudging his second-in-command, "You call her '_Doctor Keller_'?"

Realising what he meant, Lorne replied with a shrug, "It was just easier then with three doctors."

When nothing happened, they all looked at Muniz, McKay asking, "Sergeant?"

Muniz replied as he quickly typed into his console, "It appears that the 'gate's not working, Sir."

The three grooms exchanged flabbergasted looks, Sheppard remarking with a grumble, "Of all the bars in the world…"

"What do you mean the 'gate's not working?!"

"Uh… Doctor McKay, it's not dialling out."

"Run a 'gate diagnostic."

McKay peered over the Sergeant's shoulder and frowned when the diagnostic stopped, the following message appearing despite the system not being programmed to do so, '_Normal service will resume shortly, folks._'

McKay, panicking now as he wondered whether a new alien species had taken that day of all days to make first contact, said as the 'gate diagnostic resumed, showing that there was nothing wrong with the 'gate, "This doesn't make any sense!"

Sheppard opened his mouth to speak when the 'gate activated, the shield automatically covering it. The event horizon shimmered and glowed as the four men watched it, transfixed, and then a burst of energy penetrated the shield, shooting to the ceiling as Sheppard quickly activated his radio headset to call for Security. The burst then descended in the middle of the group, taking on the form of a female with long light brown hair and white robes.

When the glow had faded, Ferretti and his men spilling onto the scene along with Teyla, Ronon and Radek, they all gaped as they recognised the older version of Cammie from the alternate timeline. Cammie greeted McKay, Lorne and the newcomers with nods, and she said when her eyes moved to Sheppard,

"Uncle Shep, the SGC has been compromised. The Trust have taken it over."

Gasps could be heard all round as the brides appeared on the scene, and McKay asked as they all looked worried, "What about Sam… and Jeannie?"

Cammie replied with a grimace, "Dad got kidnapped by the Trust to be experimented on 'cos of his powers and because of going Junior again. Mom, Uncle Jack and Uncle Cam are in the process of getting him out. Auntie Jeannie is still in Vancouver… a, uh, mysterious Air Force Captain said that there are technical difficulties with the 'gate." She sighed. "For now, I'm stopping the SGC from dialling anywhere including Atlantis, and I've stopped the base from contacting the Odyssey and the Apollo, thus containing the damage."

Lorne asked, "Can't you just blast 'em out?"

"I wish. It's one of the reasons why the Ascended didn't destroy the Asurans and the Wraith themselves. The law of non-interference may have been rescinded but the law about fairness in a fight still stands… most of the time. Dad, and Mom to a lesser extent, can get away with wiping the base clean but as they're both unavailable, we can only work around the law."

The three grooms gazed at each other in worry, McKay asking solemnly, "What do we do, John?"

Sheppard's eyes moved over the now stunned personnel that had joined them, until they reached his fiancée. When he saw her nod seriously, he said quietly, "The weddings are off for the time being."

Sheppard, now snapping into action, asked Cammie, "Would it be feasible for us to take the Apollo for a spin to kick ass?"

Cammie shook her head and replied, "It's going to be all over by the time you get to the Milky Way. I just came by to give you guys a heads up. I'll reactivate the 'gate again when it's safe. The situation's getting under control."

The Ascended Jackson glowed brightly, becoming engulfed in white light before shooting upwards, the event horizon of the 'gate dissolving as Sheppard muttered under his breath as they all watched Cammie's energy mass,

"Damn, cryptic Jacksons."


	15. The Oncoming Storm

Jack and Cam, coming from the back of the building and alternately dodging and zatting Trust agents, stopped in their tracks when near their intended destination, coming from the other way was a darker-haired Sam with the James from the alternate timeline. They watched as she, ignoring their reaction, signalled for them to stop before peering into the room as Jack muttered with a proud smile,

"Taught her everything she knows."

Cam retorted as he loaded his 9 mm, "Even the hair dye?"

"Careful, Mitchell... I might be General O'Neill to you and the focus of most of your humour when I'm around, but I could still take you in a fight."

As both he and Cam back into a wall, Cam replied, "Sadly, that's true," which resulted in the old General looking at him oddly.

Sam peered into the room carefully, not feeling particularly well at not only Daniel's condition but also the Anti-Ancient device a metre or so into the room. She sighted Merek and Pete near Daniel's prone figure, the two men taunting him as he was unable to move a muscle, and what appeared to be several medics around the bed. Angry at their treatment of him but also knowing that neither she nor James could go near the device, she signalled to Jack, who nodded slightly before aiming his P-90 at the device and discharging a shot.

As they, and the surprised albeit now armed Trust agents inside, watched, the bullet bounced off some kind of forcefield around the device, ricocheting across the room until it embedded itself into the opposite wall. Jack made to shoot again but Sam signalled for him not to as Merek and some other men approached the doorway, the former remarking as he readied his sidearm,

"General Jackson... you might as well show yourself. We know you're there judging by that crap shot..." Jack considered throwing a grenade at the agent for the insult alone but thought better of it as the men approached.

Sam raised her eyebrows briefly across at Jack and Cam, and then they and James leapt out of her hiding places when the men in black had come close enough, zatting them all. The medics, scared, backed away to a wall, and an angry Cam ordered them to face it with their arms and legs spread out as he searched them for weapons.

Sam and James, meanwhile, grimaced in pain as they stood in the room, the former trying very hard to reach her zat as she felt her energy steadily leaving her. Forcing herself to focus, she managed to grab it but Jack got there first, zatting the device three times and they watched as it disappeared. The Jacksons nodded in thanks to the old General before more men in black spilled into the room, guns-a-blazing.

Sam, James, Cam and Jack, taking defensive positions between Daniel's bed and the door, returned fire as Cam shouted over the raucous noise, "General Jackson!"

Sam shook her head, replying, "I can't... I don't have enough..."

Suddenly as Ancients began to appear around Daniel's bed, much to the downright surprise of the enemy, Sam's gun dropped from her hands as her head went back, her hands outstretched from her sides as white light engulfed the room. Cold, blazing fury in her eyes, she looked straight at the now scared Trust agents who tried to shoot her but to no avail, and she raised her hands in their direction, orbs of white and yellow light shooting towards them as they shielded themselves in vain, the medics too.

As her friends and the Ancients watched, all but them disappeared, screaming in pain before they did so. James and Cam caught her, worried, as she collapsed from the energy expenditure, the former calling out,

"Mom!"

The Cammie and two Daniels from alternate timelines rushed to her aid too as the Ancients maintained their vigil. Sam whispered as she struggled to get up, Jack and James supporting her as she got to her feet,

"I'm fine… I'm fine."

She turned to Daniel, seeing him begin to stir from whatever coma he had been put in, and he stared up at her, asking in confusion, "Sam…? What… what happened to your hair?"

She smiled weakly. "Long story… What have I told you about getting yourself kidnapped? You know I'll come after you, you bastard."

He closed his eyes, smiling slightly despite his pain, and she smoothed his brow before raising her hands over him, closing her eyes too. As the others watched, she healed him, white and yellow light pouring into him from her hands as he became more and more awake and alert. Jack remarked, punching the Archaeologist in the shoulder when Sam had finished, James and Cam holding her upright as she appeared drained, her head lowered as she regained her strength,

"Bastard is right.. Jeez, you make all this up here snow… what are you trying to do now? Give me a heart condition too?"

Cammie helped Daniel to sit up as he looked around himself confused, and he smiled on seeing her, "Hey Cameron." He saw James. "Junior." And the rest. "Wow… is it, uh, the 2013 World Series this time?"

Jacob retorted, "No… it's Dancing with Stars."

"That's a disturbing thought. No offence, but I'm not sure I'd want to dance with my father-in-law."

Sam, having recuperated sufficiently, stooped to hug her husband as he closed his eyes again, sniffing back tears as he held onto her. Keeping it together for his sake, she asked, smoothing his bump, "How are you feeling? How's our little boy?"

He replied as she sat on the edge of the bed with James, "I'm fine… and so is he." He closed his eyes again, looking bereft. "They could have killed him."

She hugged him again, glancing up at a furious looking Jack, and she whispered, "It's ok… we're getting you out of here and back to the SGC. You're coming home."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sans Ancients, Cam, Jack, Sam and Daniel arrived back at the SGC, invisible as they witnessed many of Jack's men being overcome by Trust agents. Sam, furious again, was about to get rid of them when Daniel gasped. They all turned to him as he clutched his abdomen in pain, Jack asking as he smoothed his friend's back,

"Daniel?"

Daniel, breathing heavily, looked up at Sam, saying as he looked scared as well as in pain, "I think he's coming… oh God, Sam, he's coming."

Jack remarked grumpily, "You Jacksons and your timing…"

Sam took a moment to think before saying to Jack, "Jack, you and Mitchell take him through the 'gate. I know it's risky but it's going to be riskier staying here. Take him to Kheb… Oma's calling. I'll send House with you."

"Like hell are we going without you… it may have escaped your notice, but your husband's having a baby. You're coming with… don't make me make it an order. I still outrank you."

Sam shot him a dirty look that had the old General wondering whether he would leave the base with his manhood attached, and then she sighed, raising her hand in the direction of the Infirmary. Seconds later, in amongst orbs of bluish-white light, House appeared without his cane. He stared nonchalantly at Sam and remarked,

"Picnic?"

He saw Daniel's condition as Sam wrapped an arm around her husband's waist, Jack too, and he visibly blanched. Noticing that men in black walked straight past him, he nodded slightly, accepting the fact that he was invisible and he said, "Well… I assume that you're going to go through the Stargate as you can't use the Infirmary with all these clichés all over the place."

Sam nodded, replying, "You're going to need some equipment. We're going to a known safe world, but it's primitive."

"Right."

She raised her hand again and a large rucksack appeared at his feet as Daniel groaned in pain, and Sam said to the others, "Move out, men."

They made it to the gateroom and Sam, knowing that the Ancients had taken the 'gate offline, raised a hand at the 'gate, the device activating with a loud whooshing. They quickly went through the 'gate, House staring up at the event horizon in amazement as he walked through.


	16. The Oncoming Storm Part II

House emerged last from the event horizon onto the verdant surface of Kheb, his knees trembling and his head swimming a little from the trip. Cam patted him on the shoulder and remarked as he worriedly eyed Daniel,

"You'll get used to it."

House nodded in acknowledgement as Sam and Jack sat a panting Daniel down on the steps in front of the 'gate, the two Generals kneeling down in front of the Archaeologist as Sam asked, smoothing Daniel's sweaty brow in concern, "Daniel?"

His eyes closed, he whimpered in pain, retorting, "Like a thousand daggers."

She got to her knees to hug him as Jack and Cam smoothed his hair, and she asked, gazing down at him in her arms, "Do you think you can make it to the temple?"

He nodded against her bosom, whispering, "I think so."

She glanced at Jack, the two Generals gently helping the Archaeologist to stand as Cam asked, "General..." When two Generals looked at him and he rolled his eyes. "Jackson the second, then..." He asked, "Do you want me to take your place? You know the way and I don't."

Sam, glancing in concern at Daniel, replied as she rubbed her husband's arm, "Ok."

She whispered silently, trying to ignore the sudden pain from her lower abdomen downwards, '_Daniel... Cam's going to hold you. I've got to lead the way._'

'_Oh God Sam... it hurts like hell._'

'_Ssshh, it'll all be over soon... and then we'll get to hold our little boy. Remember that, ok?_'

'_That's a hard thing to remember when it feels as though I'm a stunt double in Alien. Agh._'

She ran her fingers through his hair and then silently turned to lead the way, glancing at House as Cam helped Jack in supporting the Archaeologist, and the doctor remarked as they walked down a stony path, "General... so you finally stopped dyeing your hair."

Jack shot him a dirty look until he realised that he was talking to Sam and then he smirked, as did Cam, and Sam replied, realising that her hair was still dark, "It was just part of a disguise so me and James could get into the hospital." She ran her hand down her hair, the hair returning to its original colour as her friends looked on in surprise, House, for once, speechless.

As they neared Oma's temple, Jack remarked, sighting something in the sky at some distance from them, "Bandits at twelve o'clock."

Sam, scared on sensing what it was, quickly hustled her friends into the temple, saying, "It's an Alkesh. Get in."

She raised a hand towards the craft, Cam calling, "We're not leaving you outside!"

She glanced at the Colonel in the doorway of the temple. "No. I'll be right behind you, now move! That's an order."

He reluctantly went inside as she focussed on the craft, blowing it up in a huge ball of flame, the ball landing in the forest nearby and being repelled into space by a shimmering blue forcefield. Exhausted from not just that but all of her previous enterprises, she staggered towards the temple, supporting herself on the wall as she gathered her energy again.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel lay on a mass of bedding on the floor, crying out in pain as Cam and Jack flanked him, House kneeling at the delivery end as he prepared for the impending arrival of Carter-Jackson number six. The doctor, appearing to be mildly concerned at Daniel's pain, prepared a syringe and said,

"Doctor Jackson, I'm going to inject you with a epi..."

Daniel snapped, overwhelmed by the pain, "Just do it!"

Jack remarked, looking worried nonetheless, "Now that's an endorsement for Nike if ever I saw one."

House looked worriedly at the Archaeologist before injecting the contents of the syringe and another one into his spine, and Daniel asked, looking up at Jack, "Jack... where's Sam? Is she alright? I can't feel her."

Cam replied, holding the Archaeologist's hand, "I'll go check on her."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As Sam regained most of her strength, she, sensing something else, looked up into the sky and was about to raise her hand when she saw several Alkeshs, gliders and cargo ships which began to hover around the temple. Horrified, and knowing that she didn't have enough power to repel them all but hoping that Oma would defend the temple, she made to go inside as Cam came out.

The Colonel, instantly worried on seeing her drawn features, asked as he slipped an arm around her, "Sam..." Before he could finish, he glanced up and then looked up again, staring at the craft. "Holy... what the...?"

Just before Sam could reply, an Alkesh fired a shot in their vicinity, and he remarked, "Well that knocks out my next question. Come on." He was about to escort her indoors when they heard a glider firing. They looked up, seeing said glider swooping and sliding between craft in expert manoeuvres, taking out each one and dodging the shots from others.

Sam suddenly smiled on sensing the occupants of the craft, whispering, "Teal'c."

Cam remarked with a chuckle, worried nonetheless, "I should've known... our fly-boy. Check him out."

The sky clear, balls of burning wreckage having been flung back into space, the glider landed a few hundred metres away from the temple, and, emerging from the craft, were Teal'c and Ish'ta, both armed with staff weapons. When they neared, Sam greeted Ish'ta, who nodded and smiled in reply, and she hugged Teal'c.

"Teal'c! How did you..."

He nodded in greeting to Cam, and replied as they all made their way back to the temple, "There is little time, Samantha, but the JamesCarterJackson from the alternate timeline came to Hak'tyl to inform us of what has transpired at the SGC and with regard to DanielJackson once we attempted to dial the Earth Stargate." He glanced at his friends. "The Trust have acquired, through the assistance of the remaining Goa'uld, an arsenal of Goa'uld craft. They wish to kill yourself and DanielJackson once and for all. However, by trespassing here, they have committed sacrilege, thus strengthening the cause of the Free Jaffa like never before."

They had reached the inner chamber by this time, and they stopped on hearing Daniel cry out, calling, "Sam!"

Sam asked Teal'c as she made her way to Daniel's side, "Are there anymore?"

Teal'c simply nodded, not wanting to worry the Archaeologist as he kneeled next to Jack. Daniel looked up at Sam, asking as he tried to focus on his breathing, "What happened? What's going on?"

Sam shushed him, whispering as she smoothed his brow, "Nothing."

He cried out in pain, House calling over the sound, "How far apart are those contractions, Doc?"

"Closer!"

"How close?"

"Do I look like I'm in a condition to find my watch!?"

Each of his friends smiled briefly at the outburst as House mentally noted not to aggravate the Archaeologist if he was ever in pain again, and Daniel almost sat up as his contractions intensified. Sam then sat him up and sat behind him, her legs around him as she held onto him as he cried out. He whispered silently over his pain,

'_Thanks._'

She kissed his temple as she ran her fingers through his hair. '_It's ok, honey. We're going to get through this, ok? I'm here and I'm not going to let you go._'

Whimpering at the intense pain despite the drugs in his system, he rested his head against her bosom, saying out loud as she held him tighter, "It hurts."

"Sshh, I know it does. Not long now."

She suddenly looked up towards the doorway, startled on sensing something, and Cam, worried, asked as Teal'c and Ish'ta, arming their staff weapons, went outside, "What is it, General?"

She looked at him, scared. "They're here."

Daniel asked, scared too, "Who? Who's here?"

She shushed him again, kissing his hair as Cam and Jack, armed too, followed their friends out, and House remarked, "Do you make a habit of giving birth in war zones?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sometime later, as House looked in concern at the delivery end, instantly getting to work, Sam asked, "House? What is it?"

As he worked on Daniel with his surgical implements, he replied, "He's hemorrhaging. Junior's not going to wait for a C-section. He's coming out the normal way... which for Doc here, wang and all, is going to be messy."

Daniel, not hearing much but scared nonetheless, asked frantically as he tried to look at his wife, "Sam? What's going on? What is it? Is the baby alright? What..."

She kissed his brow and whispered, hugging him from behind and smoothing his stomach, "Sshh. Everything's fine."

Just then they heard the chilling sound of clunking Jaffa boots and Sam said as House glanced at her, "Keep going." She reached for her P-90 and, with one arm protectively around Daniel as he leaned back in her embrace, screaming and panting through the pain, she aimed it at the doorway, now adept enough with the weapon to operate it single-handedly.

'_It's ok Daniel, it's all going to be ok. Just remember the breathing... in and out, in and out..._'

He whimpered, whispering back, '_I don't want to._'

She said aloud, kissing his brow again, "Breathe, dammit. Stop being so damn stubborn." She looked at House. "Is there anyway to knock him out?"

House replied grimly, "Not unless you're a sadist. It's not safe." He primed another syringe. "But I can give him drugs." He injected into the Archaeologist's spine as said Archaeologist screamed, holding onto Sam's arm as he said, his eyes closed,

"Oh God! It hurts! Make it stop!"

She closed her eyes, fighting to focus as she began to feel his pain, his mental block of it beginning to crumble, and she said, grimacing as she struggled to keep her firearm aimed, "Aggh, that is worse than giving birth... what the hell's going on?"

House replied as the noise of the firefight outside grew closer, Jack, Cam, Teal'c and Ish'ta being pushed back into the chamber as they returned fire to the enemy, "Junior's moving around too much and penises are generally not wide enough for a baby. I say not generally..."

Sam glared at him, silencing the doctor and Cam called, "Sam? You feeling strong enough yet? There's too many of 'em!"

Torn between staying with Daniel and fighting the enemy despite her low energy levels, she looked down at the Archaeologist who, in a rare lucid moment, said with a nod, "Help them. Leave me."

She shook her head, her eyes filling up with tears at the prospect and he grabbed her hand, staring up at her intently. "No... for once in your life, stop being stubborn. Go."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The Jaffa outside stopped shooting in surprise when Sam emerged from the temple disguised as Daniel, looking remarkably _not_ like someone who was supposedly in labour. They glanced at each other, wondering where the story had come from that he was pregnant and then wondering how they had let themselves be misled. Now feeling humiliated, they aimed their staff weapons at her in anger, ready to shoot when she, her eyes much bluer by an unseen light source, raised her hands as she closed her eyes, white light engulfing her surroundings and that of the temple, the Jaffa disappearing as they screamed in pain, their weapons falling from their hands as the myriad motherships, alkeshs and gliders exploded.

Looking grim at what she had just done, she raised a hand above herself, turning back into herself before returning to the temple to be by her husband's side.

Jack, having witnessed what she had done, remarked as she held Daniel in her arms once again, "That was disturbing... what did it feel like to have a wang for once?" She glared at him briefly before gazing down at Daniel in her arms, noticing him look increasingly drained, having shared his powers with her. She smoothed his brow, whispering,

"Come on Daniel, stay with me."

He weakly opened his eyes, whimpering as he replied, "I want to go home."

"Ssh, we'll go home soon. We're just waiting for..."

The pain that she felt became too intense to ignore and she groaned, rubbing her stomach as Cam asked, House, Teal'c, Ish'ta and Jack looking at her, "Sam?"

Sam replied, looking confused, "I don't know..." She glanced down at her stomach and then froze in shock on seeing it swollen. She looked up at Cam again and back down at her stomach, worried as she exclaimed,

"What the...?"

Worried even more, Cam crouched down beside the General as Daniel began to panic, and his eyes widened in shock on seeing her swollen abdomen. Daniel asked, frantic as House tried to stop him from moving,

"Sam? Sam? What's going on? What is it?"

Sam, scared, replied as she gingerly touched her abdomen, "I'm pregnant."

Ish'ta looked at Teal'c for an explanation but he had none, and Jack remarked as Sam and Cam tried to calm Daniel, "Jesus! You Jacksons... I'm having you both spayed when we go home."

Before Sam could so much as glare at him, she rested her head back against the wall behind her, still holding onto Daniel as she began to breathe heavily, grimacing as she began to sweat. Jack, now to the point where he could start pulling his hair out, continued,

"And I see we're going by Jackson time too."

Sam closed her eyes, determined to hold Daniel but Cam said, trying to extricate her, "Sam, come on... you're not giving birth like this. Come on."

She looked ready to protest despite the pain but Teal'c got up, picking her up in his arms, and she relented. Daniel then began to scream as Teal'c lay her down next to the Archaeologist, Cam holding her hand as Jack held Daniel's. Cam asked,

"Jackson?"

House called, looking overcome, "Junior's coming."


	17. Labouring under Alien Skies

As Sam, despite her own pain, and Jack, Cam, Teal'c, Ish'ta and House encouraged the Archaeologist to push, Sam holding his hand as Jack held the other, he snapped through gritted teeth, "I want a C-section!"

Jack retorted, "I've got my standard issue knife on me... you don't want to be operated on with that, trust me. Now breathe or I'll kick your lily ass. Carter would do it but you managed to knock her up in record time."

Daniel glared at him before screaming through a push. "Drugs would do then."

Jack carefully eased the Archaeologist back into a reclining position, grimacing when he caught sight of the delivery end. "Easy." He muttered, "I'm gonna be having nightmares of that thing... at least I hope they're gonna be nightmares... Jesus..."

The Cammie, James and the older Daniel from the alternate timeline entered the scene, watching from the doorway. Cammie kneeled at Daniel's side, healing the haemorrhaging as a stunned House looked on, Daniel saying with a tired smile between pushes,

"Cameron!"

She smoothed his forehead, smiling briefly at Jack as she said, "Hi Dad... you're doing so well. Keep it up."

Sam looked up at her children as she breathed heavily, the older Daniel immediately going to her side. He gently kissed her forehead, whispering,

"I couldn't hold your hand when you had Cammie, but I can now."

James, grimacing briefly on seeing things that he had thought he would never, went to his mother's side before returning to Daniel's side as Cammie approached Cam. "Uncle Cam... the situation's under control. Uncle Jack's men managed to overcome the Trust but... Auntie Vala and Auntie Carolyn have gone into labour... and Uncle John and his team have come to check things out. They're currently in charge until you come home again."

House remarked, glancing at Jack as he concentrated on what he was doing, "I see the Jackson timing is contagious."

Cam suddenly paled and then hesitated, unsure of what to do. Sam looked up at him after taking a big breath and she said, reaching up to smooth his face, "Go... Vala needs you. Tell her and my new niece and nephew I said 'hi'."

Cam gave her hand a squeeze and replied as he smoothed her hair back, Daniel screaming his way through a push as Jack grimaced at the pain in his hand, "Good luck, Sam... and Jackson too. There's not enough time to get you home now but I'll send a medical team back."

Sam nodded before crying out in pain as Cam left, older-Daniel kissing her hand as he whispered, "You can do it, Sam."

Cammie and James stood to one side with Teal'c and Ish'ta just as the older Cam from the alternate timeline appeared too. Older-Daniel remarked with a little smile, "All seven births."

Older-Cam retorted as he sat in between both pregnant people, "Wouldn't miss it for the world... plus, I'd rather not go back to the SGC now. It'll be freaky watching our Sam being born again although I suppose she won't be called 'Sam' this time around."

Older-Daniel kissed Sam's cheek before whispering, "I'll just be down here, ok?"

Older-Cam said, about to get up, "Jackson, I'll do it."

Older-Daniel shook his head. "No, my younger self packs quite a punch."

Jack smiled briefly and then grimaced as Daniel screamed, House calling, "Ok... one big push now... as though you're trying to expel a car out of your wang."

Daniel retorted, exclaiming, "That makes no sense!"

"Right... and you giving birth through your little Daniel does... Eww, nightmares... as though mine weren't bad enough already."

Sam called along with the others, "Come on Daniel... push! You can do it."

Daniel sniffed back involuntary tears, replying, "I don't want to."

Sam glanced at Jack, who raised his eyebrow, and then at Teal'c who did likewise but with a little smirk, and she snapped, "Jackson, push our little boy out now or I'll make you."

Jack hid a smile as he looked away, Teal'c, Ish'ta, Cammie, James, older-Cam and older-Daniel too, and Daniel retorted, now looking defeated, "You started it."

"Shut up and push! If you find someway to ascend to avoid pushing, I'll kill you myself."

Daniel looked petulant for a moment before Sam squeezed his hand tightly to remind him of her presence, and she grimaced as she felt his pain too while he pushed hard. Sam began to pant again as she felt her contractions speeding up, and older-Cam whispered, holding her hand,

"You're doing great, Sam."

Just as Daniel finished his big push, House looking overwhelmed as he supported the baby's head and neck, Sam screamed in pain and a surprised older-Daniel said, blinking a couple times, "Sam?"

"What?!"

He replied with a sheepish smile, "You can push now."

As Daniel flopped back down onto the bedding, exhausted but encouraging his wife nonetheless despite his eyes feeling as though they had been glued shut, Jack, older-Cam, Teal'c, Cammie and James each encouraged Sam as House cleaned up the baby he held in his arms, cutting the umbilical cord with Ish'ta's help as the chamber echoed with a baby's cry.

Sam gasped in surprise as she pushed, whispering with a brief smile between screams, "You did it Daniel."

Older-Daniel called, "A big one now... you know the drill. You've done this more than I have. Come on."

As her friends cheered her on, Daniel too, she screamed in pain, focussing on that single push as older-Cam held her hand before almost collapsing back onto the bedding, remarking tiredly, "I know I wanted to have another baby but this is getting silly."

She managed to pry her eyes open to see an overcome and tired looking Daniel hold a bundle in his arms, the Archaeologist supported by a proud looking Jack and Teal'c. He gazed down at the baby, amazed as he touched the little fingers, and he glanced across his wife with a smile, whispering tiredly,

"Our little boy."

She smiled, retorting weakly, "I hope he sleeps when we get home... because Mommy's going to sleep for a year."

"Don't you mean Daddy?"

"Whatever."

Older-Daniel, with a little help from House, held a now clean baby in his arms, gently kissing it before passing it to older-Cam as a team led by Carmichael entered the chamber, staring at the scene before them in bemusement. Teal'c helped Sam to sit up, sitting behind her and holding her in his arms as older-Cam helped her to hold the baby, whispering with a smile,

"Congratulations, Sam. It's a girl."

Overcome, tears welling in her eyes, she held her daughter in her arms, whispering as she gazed in amazement at the squirming face and the little fingers, "Hello." She looked at Daniel, who had tears in his eyes too, and she closed her eyes, feeling him mentally hug her.

She glanced at Cammie and James. '_Five little girls and three little boys... not bad, huh?_'

'_I still beat you as far as pregnancies go._'

'_Any day, General baby-maker._'

'_Hey!_'


	18. Homecoming

Sheppard and Lorne, a team of medics waiting behind them, exchanged an odd glance when the wormhole activated from Kheb, Jack, Teal'c, Ish'ta and House coming through, followed by Carmichael's team with two gurneys bearing Daniel and Sam, and two carrycots with the newborns in them. The medics got to work taking the new arrivals to the Infirmary, followed by most of the others, and Sheppard asked Teal'c,

"What happened?"

Teal'c replied, silently gesturing for Ish'ta to go with Jack, "A lot has transpired, ColonelSheppard. Has ColonelMitchell not informed you?"

"Well… the guy did say something about the wonder twins going into labour but it was kinda rushed… Vala's having her baby."

Teal'c nodded and asked as he walked with Sheppard and Lorne to the Infirmary, "Did you not perform your wedding ceremony?"

Sheppard smirked as Lorne shook his head, the former remarking, "No… our Ascended niece dropped in to give us the skinny of what was going down here. And besides, we were kinda hoping for General Jackson to officiate… poor Teyla's run herself ragged."

"I see. I do not believe that it would be possible as Samantha is greatly drained from her ordeal as is DanielJackson. Perhaps it would be wise to resume as planned… or wait until Samantha is well again."

Sheppard patted the Jaffa on the back and Lorne replied, "We'd love to have you guys over for the wedding."

Teal'c smiled briefly as they entered the Infirmary. "And we would be honoured to attend."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"If you don't get this baby out of me now, I swear, I'll kill you where you stand. You should be here instead of me, you great Chelonian coward!"

Cam, his hand hurting a lot, retorted as he affectionately brushed Vala's damp hair from her forehead as the alien screamed in pain, kissing her forehead, "Baby, you'll be able to rest soon… just a little while longer."

Cassie, scared as well as slightly amused at the alien's temper, called, "Vala… come on, you call that pushing?!"

Vala screamed, clamping down even harder on Cam's hand as the Colonel began to regret not staying on Kheb. "You bastard! I hate you! Agh! If I have to go through this again, I'll cut your penis off!" She screamed again, and Cassie called, "Great work…" she paused. "Ok, Vala? One big one… crush Cam's hand." Cam shot the doctor a glare before closing his eyes and almost screaming in pain as Vala screamed even louder, shouting a mixture of alien and English expletives, directed mostly at Cam.

"Whoa! Nice work. You can stop now."

Cassie, with a nurse's help, helped the baby the rest of the way out as Vala got her breath back, closing her eyes as she lay back down, Cam nursing a broken hand as he kissed her forehead, tears in his eyes not only at his pain but at being a father again. Cassie smiled down at the now clean albeit screaming baby as she held it, touching its cheek before going to Cam and saying, looking tired from the long labour as well as happy,

"Congratulations Cam… you've got a brand new daughter."

Cam beamed as Vala smiled tiredly from her reclining position, and he took the baby from Cassie slowly, the doctor glancing sceptically at his red hand, and he kissed the baby's forehead, whispering as he cradled her, "Hey there, little Mitchell. Wanna see Mommy?"

He tried hard to cover a grimace as the pain in his hand grew and, as a nurse sat Vala up, he gently and carefully gave her the baby, kissing his wife. He whispered as she gazed down at their new daughter, "You did it, baby… God, I'm so proud of you. I love you." He hugged her before giving into the pain as well as Cassie, and he turned, holding his rather worse for wear hand up, remarking as he couldn't cover the grimaces anymore,

"Stitch me up, Doc."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A beaming Jonas sat on the edge of his wife's bed, said wife looking totally drained as she watched him holding their new son. He cradled the little boy in his arms, smiling as he touched his cheeks and his fingers, watching the latest addition to the Quinn, Lam and Landry family trees squirm. Carolyn remarked quietly, feeling very weak,

"Can I at least hold our baby?"

He grinned. "Sorry!" He carefully handed her the baby, making sure that she was holding the baby correctly, much to her inner amusement, and she smiled as she bounced their son in her hold, whispering with tears in her eyes, "Hello… how are you doing?"

She looked up at Jonas and whispered, now crying, "He's beautiful… look how small he is."

He tenderly pushed her hair behind her ear, remarking, still glowing with happiness, "It's our son… we did it."

She remarked, an eyebrow raised, "_We_? I had to carry him around for almost nine months… you only had fifteen minutes of strenuous work involved."

They smiled at each other and he asked, "Do you still want to name him after your Dad?"

She nodded, gazing down at the now sleeping baby. "Yes… we've come such a long way since I started work here." She looked up at him again. "Are you ok with it?"

He grinned. "Ok? I'm fine… Henry's a nice name."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel and Sam lay in parallel beds in an isolation room, their new babies sleeping soundly after a feeding. They gazed at each other, feeling highly drained and tired, and she whispered, "I hate you."

He replied, feeling as glum as she felt, "I hate you too."

"Jack's right… you always find someway to get me pregnant… this time really beat the other times."

He looked annoyed. "Well if you didn't want a ba…"

She smiled weakly. "Shut up, Daniel… I don't regret it one bit. We always wanted a big family… and in true Carter-Jackson fashion, they're completely unexpected."

He smiled back at her. "Can I at least hold you? I can't sleep."

"Hang on a sec." She closed her eyes and focussed, having to focus harder due to her condition. He watched as she orbed to his side, and he held her tightly, feeling her increasing tiredness as he whispered, "It wouldn't be advisable to do that again."

She smiled as she snuggled into his chest. "At least we'll get some sleep." She smoothed his stomach. "Have you thought of any names yet?"

He kissed the top of her head. "I thought of Dad when I was in labour… how he had struggled… It wasn't his fault." She looked up at him as he met her gaze, kissing her gently. "As usual… you're right. How does Gregory Melburn sound?"

She closed her eyes and smiled slightly. "Odd… but it honours two men, without whom our little boy wouldn't exist."

He rubbed her back. "How about you?"

She replied, tears in her eyes, "Daniela. I haven't thought of a middle name yet. Your older self brought our daughter into the world."

He smiled eventually, replying as he kissed her, "It's perfect."


	19. Visiting Hours

'_Well, at least I know how many kids we have._'

Daniel, his eyes closed, feeling too weak to open them, retorted silently, '_Hey! Of course I know!_'

Sam smiled, her eyes closed too. '_Right… yeah… what did you say on Kheb… Oh, five girls and three boys._'

He pouted. '_I'd just given birth… and besides, I thought you said that._'

'_Nope… it's a known fact that Archaeologists, Linguists and Philologists, while good with their hands and their mouths, aren't good at figures._'

'_You're just sore because I was in labour longer._'

She snickered. '_Well, I am sore… physically._'

He tiredly kissed her hair. _'Well my multitasking mathematician… how many children do we have?'_

She smiled, snuggling into his embrace. '_Ten._'

His eyes flew open, confused as he remarked aloud, sounding weak, "Wait a second… ten?! I know we have a lot of kids but…"

She turned over slowly and painfully to look at him, smiling slightly. "Oh, what did I say about you and figures… Cammie, James, Jake, Claire, Grace, Gregory, Daniela, the ascended Cammie and James, and the Grace who's with the Doctor… ergo… ten."

"You know you scared me then, didn't you? To be honest, after now, I wouldn't be surprised if we did have kids we didn't know about… the products of Ancients interfering and all that…"

"Well… look at Jake, Claire, Grace and Daniela." Her smile faded. "Despite what I think sometimes about the Ancients sticking their noses in, we wouldn't have those four and Gregory without them. We wouldn't be on this wonderful and sometimes terrifying adventure." She smiled again, resting her head against his chest. "I'm glad that I've had you with me though."

He held her as tight as he could, resting his head against hers. "Oh yeah. Right back at ya."

Suddenly her eyes flew open and she asked, scared, "What time is it?"

He, scared too on sensing her fear and the reason for it, struggled to see the clock, replying, "Oh God… seven… p.m."

"No-one picked up the twins!"

She was about to get up when she suddenly smiled and relaxed, whispering, "I can feel them… I can feel all our children."

He relaxed too on sensing what she had sensed, and the door opened slowly, Jack whispering to someone unseen, "Now, remember what I told you. Your Mom and Dad aren't feeling very well so you're all gonna be well behaved or you're all out, ok? And believe me, you don't want to see Uncle T when he's pissed. And if Uncle T gets pissed, Auntie Ish'ta will and you're gonna be wishing you were back in the Nursery again."

In a flash of bluish-white light, Sam was back in her bed, Daniel missing the feeling of her in his arms instantly, and the door opened a little more as Jack peered in. Smiling on seeing the Jacksons smiling slightly back at him from their beds, looking very weak, he, carrying Grace in his arms, entered the room, followed by Teal'c and Ish'ta, and four Carter-Jackson children.

Sam, her back propped up by pillows, smiled as Teal'c helped each child in turn to climb onto Sam's bed, the General hugging them tightly, tears in her eyes. As the older kids moved on to Daniel's bed, Sam still holding Grace in her arms, Ish'ta asked as Jack and Teal'c looked at the new babies and chatted to Daniel,

"How are you feeling, Samantha?"

Sam replied with a little smile, smoothing Grace's hair as the toddler curled up in her mother's lap, looking totally relaxed for once, "Very, very tired… but relieved. How are you doing?"

"I am fine." Ish'ta smiled. "That was a very unusual situation on Kheb, as befitting SG-1."

Sam smiled, remarking as she glanced down at Grace, "Oh yeah."

James began to tug Ish'ta towards the babies, wanting to see them and already taking a liking to the female Jaffa, and Sam glanced at Daniel, exchanging a smile with him. Jack sat on the edge of Sam's bed as he held Greg, and he asked,

"Carter, you ok?"

Sam nodded, replying, her voice a little rough, "Yeah… I will be. Thanks, Jack."

"You know, you've really outdone yourself… I don't mean all of that… Well, ok, I do."

He handed Greg to Sam, the Brigadier-General smiling down at a curious Grace, and whispered, "Do you want to see your baby brother?"

Jack smiled as he watched the formerly youngest Carter-Jackson bond with her new sibling and he went to sit on Daniel's bed, smoothing the Archaeologist's hair back with a fatherly touch. He remarked with a smirk as Teal'c passed Daniela to him, James and Cammie going to see Sam as Claire curled up in her father's lap with Jake,

"Well… you two, huh? You not only outdo everyone else but yourselves too." He grimaced briefly. "What about the…" he gestured awkwardly, "… you know, different nature of…" he made an odd gesture with his hands, and Daniel replied, amused, especially on hearing Sam laugh in his head,

"Oh… um… House said that I'd developed new muscles near… there… otherwise he would have performed a C-section."

"Right… you're lucky your wife healed that important piece of equipment, otherwise you'd probably still be in surgery."

'_The older Cammie healed most of it._'

'_Sshh, don't say anything… you know the face Jack is going to pull._'

'_Is it insubordination if I zap him?_'

'_Not if I do it first._'

Teal'c asked, "Have you chosen a name for your new children?"

Sam looked at Daniel with a smile, who replied, "Gregory Melburn and Daniela… we're still stuck for a middle name."

Jack remarked with a shrug, "Well, to vaguely stick to your CJ tradition, you could call her Jane. She'll be named after Janet."

When Sam and Daniel exchanged a look and a tiny smile, Jack asked, confused, "What?"

Sam smiled. "You've done it again, Jack."

"I have?"

Daniel looked amused. "Oh yeah. Don't pull that dumb-Jack thing… we know it's an act."

Jack raised his eyebrows and replied with a shrug, "Well, a girl can't help it. Anyway…"

Sam asked, feeling guilty at forgetting, "How are Vala and Carolyn? Have they had their babies yet?"

Jack smirked and looked at Teal'c as Ish'ta kneeled at Daniel's bedside to smooth Claire's cheek. Teal'c replying. "Samantha Mal Doran-Mitchell, and Henry Jonas Quinn have arrived and are well. ValaMalDoranMitchell and CarolynQuinn are both in states of slumber, and ColonelMitchell currently has a broken hand."

The Jacksons smiled and then looked concerned, Sam asking, glancing at Jack, "Is that a joke?"

Jack raised his eyebrows and smirked again. "Oh no… Vala was quite the wild girl… she broke his hand. To give the guy credit, he even held the baby before giving into Frasier number two."

Sam sat Grace up on another part of the bed and sat up properly, about to get out of bed to see the new arrivals despite her condition as Daniel looked on, scared, and Jack snapped, "Carter, get your ass back in that bed – that's an order!"

Sam replied, still having not mustered enough energy to stand up, "I want to see them."

"Like f…" Jack noticed all of the children in the room and moderated his language accordingly when Daniel gave him a meaningful look, "… fudge are you getting out of that bed. Mitchell and Jonas are coming to see you. Don't make me arrest you."

Glancing around at the kids, she remarked as she relented, lying back down with a grimace, Grace lying her side as the General held her new son, "Fudge off, Jack."


	20. Visiting Hours Part II

Sam lay again in Daniel's arms, watching the Archaeologist sleep, all the while hearing the constant murmur of his mind, occasionally seeing the disturbing shapes and darkness from his nightmares. Thankful indeed that he not only was alright but with her, she kissed his cheek and just watched him in his relatively peaceful state, unable to believe the events of the past day.

She was about to go to sleep, to take advantage of the rare quiet moment when she sensed something, looking at the door with a little smile. The door slowly opened to reveal mini-Jack, who peered into the room to see whether his friends were awake or not. He was about to leave on seeing them in an intimate position, but she waved at him.

Smiling slightly, and intrigued that Sam didn't appear to feel the least bit awkward, he quietly entered, noting that Daniel was asleep, and sat on the edge of Sam's empty bed, remarking as he gestured towards the Archaeologist now behind the reclining Astrophysicist,

"Won't Space Monkey wake up? He gets pretty cranky in the morning."

She shook her head, replying, "I helped him to sleep."

"Ah... Ancient powers. Right." His legs swinging off the bed, he looked across at the sleeping babies in their cots on the other side of the room, and then he asked, "So... Carter, how're you doing? Could barely believe it, despite everything, when grump-ass told me."

She smiled. "Just tired, Jack... thanks." Her smile widened. "Thanks for picking Cammie and James up from school." She began to get a little tearful. "We were halfway across the galaxy and embroiled in a Trust plot."

"Yeah... you have all the fun. Anyways, no, who I can only assume was that daughter of yours from the future... well, alternate future, that you told me about... she swung by my place to tell me what was going on and that I should go and pick her younger self and James up. I see why she did 'cos it meant that I couldn't break into the mountain to kick some ass."

She smiled again. "I have no doubt that you would have."

"Well, yeah... of course. We all know it would have been over sooner if I'd been there."

Noticing how drained she looked, he smiled slightly as he slid off the bed and he stooped to gently kiss her on the forehead, whispering as he smoothed her hair back, "Go to sleep... I'll see you later." He went to see the babies, leaning over them as he looked down at the latest additions to the Carter-Jackson family tree, and she replied, watching him as she turned to lie on her back,

"Jack... you don't have to go."

He remarked as he reached down to stroke the babies' cheeks, "You're as stubborn as your husband, Carter... you'll stay awake and talk, and then end up really ill. You need the rest." He smirked as he went back to her bedside. "For a couple of geeks, you sure get a lot. What is it... seven kids in six years? You guys are a bunch of nymphos, I'm tellin' ya... which is understandable in Daniel's case... Mr Intergalactic Paternity suit..."

She retorted with an amused smile, "I don't know about that, Jack, but I do know that for someone who doesn't like to eat the local food, you sure took to that cake..."

He glared at her. "You're never going to let that go, are you?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel now lay awake with Sam in his arms, watching the Astrophysicist sleep. He knew that she hadn't slept earlier so when he had woken up, he used his own powers on her to get his equal in stubbornness to get some rest. Gently running his fingers up and down her back, he whispered with a weak smile,

"We're going to be ok, Sam... you'll see. We always seem to eventually get through whatever life throws at us... and we've been blessed. I never in a million years thought that I would have a big family like this... and you know what, my fair Guinevere? I don't regret it one bit. Seven years of being with you have taught me a lot of things... and it has been the best seven years in my entire life. You know why? Because of you. God... I don't know why I'm telling you this now... I should be telling you this when you're awake... but then you'd probably make me go to sleep again. I just don't think that you know truly how I feel about you, how you make me feel."

He kissed the top of her head and smiled when he felt a rush of love from her, despite the General being asleep, and he heard her whisper in amongst the murmur of her mind, '_I know how you feel, Daniel... it's how I feel about you. And you've taught me a lot. You've taught me that love doesn't have to hurt, that it doesn't have to end in pain. Up until you, I always thought that it did._'

Amazed, he remarked silently with a smile, touched by her words, '_If we weren't already married, I'd ask you to marry me._'

'_Tough... I'm taken by a wonderful Archaeologist whose little Daniel practically exploded._'

He smiled again as he held her tighter and he sighed happily, watching her slowly smile in her sleep. He glanced up at the door just as it opened, and House appeared, pausing in the doorway in awkwardness. Daniel said softly,

"It's ok, don't worry."

House nodded and sat on the edge of Sam's bed. He glanced at Sam in Daniel's embrace. "I'm... I'm touched that you'd want to name your kid after me but..."

Daniel said with a slight smile, "We're not changing the name... Sam loves it."

House looked grim. "Would that be the same _Sam_ that named her baby after you but didn't?"

Daniel sobered up. "House... I don't have a problem with it. Those two have their own history, and I think he needed that. In his timeline, he'd lost Sam." Daniel struggled to rein in his emotions as he began to feel a slowly expanding warmth inside of him from Sam. "And besides, he brought our daughter into the world."

"You're just pretending to be ok about... but you're not. You should tell her."

"I'm fine with it... I'm just being post-natal."

"She has to know how you feel... it's your daughter too."

"Just leave it, House."

Daniel closed his eyes as he rested his chin against Sam's hair, and House said after a pause, "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap." He opened his eyes. "There is one thing that I don't get..."

House remarked, "Other than the fact that you gave birth through your wang?"

Daniel, ignoring the crude remark, asked, "How did Sam get pregnant and then go into labour that quickly?"

House exhaled and replied with a shrug, "That's been bugging me since it happened and I can't figure it... yet. My only hypothesis so far is that it's related to when she got dolled up as you and went Whitelighter on the evil guys' asses. There must have been some sort of complication there... or she was already pregnant because of the elixir and she'd managed to hide it, even from herself, in order to be able to protect you... and dressing up as you induced her."

Daniel nodded. "Thanks, House."

"For what?"

"For everything... you brought my little boy into the world. I'll always be grateful. Despite the primitive conditions of Kheb, you did great. Thank you."

Touched that a patient of his had actually thanked him, House was speechless for a long moment, and then he said with a shrug, "Thank you for being out of the ordinary."

Daniel smiled again and House asked with a nod in Sam's direction, "How's the General?"

Daniel gently rubbed his wife's side, replying quietly, "Tired but stubborn. How's your leg?"

House remarked with the faintest of smiles, "Never better." He patted his right. "I don't know what your wife did but the pain's gone, the bullet wounds too." He gazed at Sam. "She saved my life."

Daniel replied as he kissed his wife's hair, "She healed you."

"Well... when she wakes up, tell her I said 'thank you'."

Daniel smiled in barely concealed amusement. "Tell her yourself."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As Sam breastfed the babies, with a nonetheless intrigued Daniel watching over her shoulder as he sat behind her, there was a knock at the door. They exchanged a glance and Sam orbed back to her own bed as Daniel raised a hand to open the door to reveal Cam and Jonas, each holding their own babies. They, a little embarrassed as they realised what a now amused Sam was doing, went to Daniel's bedside, Cam remarking,

"Came to see you guys earlier but you were spooning."

The two men sat on the edge of Daniel's bed as the Archaeologist smiled at the babies, asking, "How are Vala and Carolyn doing?"

Cam and Jonas replied in unison before glancing at each other in bemusement, "Tired."

As Cam passed his baby to Daniel, the Archaeologist noticed the bandage on his hand and he undid it as the Colonel looked on in admittedly a little trepidation. Daniel raised a hand over the broken appendage, the former's hand glowing with a yellowish-white light as the Colonel felt the pain leave his hand. When he'd finished, looking a little more tired, Daniel remarked as he bounced the Mitchell baby in his arms,

"That's what you get for marrying a former host."

He heard Sam laugh in his head, making a crude remark about virile Archaeologists, and Cam retorted with a glare, "No... that's what I get for marrying the galaxy's equivalent of Blackbeard."

Daniel chuckled briefly and asked as he looked down at the baby in his arms, stroking her cheek as she squirmed, "So... what's her name?"

Cam replied, glancing across at Sam with a smile, the General having finished breastfeeding, "Samantha Wendy Mitchell... Vala only uses her own surname when she's being moody and she's got T as a defence attorney."

Daniel smiled as Sam looked tearful. "She's beautiful." He smiled across at Sam. "Just like her Auntie." He glanced at Cam again. "She definitely looks like a Mitchell but she's got Vala's nose."

"Well, so long as she doesn't mug me when she's older, I'm cool."

Daniel shook his head slightly and then carefully handed the baby back before holding Jonas' baby as Cam went to see Sam and the new twins. Jonas said with a little smile as they both looked amused at Sam arguing with conviction why the latest Mitchell progeny shouldn't be named after her,

"Henry Jonas Quinn."

Daniel smiled down at the baby boy in his arms, replying softly, "General Landry?"

"Yeah... Lyn and, ah, him have come a long way since she, ah, started at the mountain. We thought it only right to honour him." He grinned. "We're going to, ah, toss a coin for whether the next one will be named after you or Sam."

Daniel remarked sceptically, "Does Carolyn know about this arrangement? Trust me, right now, the last thing she's thinking of is more kids."

Jonas scratched the back of his head, smiling. "Well... as I seem to be doing a lot of what you do... Archaeology, Linguistics, SG-1... marrying a, ah, military brat... I might just have a baby as well."

Daniel smiled as he reached up to squeeze Jonas' arm. "It's an eye-opening experience."

"It certainly was for Cam... apparently Cassandra egged Vala on."

Sam, meanwhile, held Samantha in her arms as she remarked, gazing down at the baby and then at Cam, "You do know how confusing this is going to get, don't you? Carson and McKay's daughter is Samantha..."

Cam replied with a shrug as he held both Greg and Daniela, "Well, if she takes after her Mom, there is not gonna be any confusion. Anyways... how are you feeling? I heard that I was there."

Sam smiled as they heard Henry scream until Daniel managed to pacify him, and she said, squeezing Cam's shoulder, "You were great. All seven births."

"Well, there's a whole understanding between me, Jackson and apparently me and Jackson from an alternate timeline now, to not miss a Carter-Jackson matinee. I just think it's funny that you had two Jacksons there. While one was squeezing out a baby, the other was birthing yours. Now that is a story to traumatise your kids with when they're older."

"Daniel giving birth to Greg alone is enough to give them nightmares."

'_Stop using me as the butt of your jokes!_'

'_Well, you did give birth not only against all odds in the first place, but also impossibly... if that makes any sense._'

'_It doesn't but I won't say anything... I like listening to you talk._'

'_Ah, so that's a very convincing act of listening you do when you're actually getting turned on._'

'_Hey, I can multitask, you know._'

She smiled slightly, sending him a rude mental image as he groaned silently in despair, and she retorted with a little sigh as Cam looked, amused, from Sam to a reddening Daniel and back again, '_Don't I know it..._'


	21. Volatility

Vala, overwhelmingly tired and drained from giving birth, woke up on her front in another isolation room to find a rather worse for wear Daniel sitting in a wheelchair next to her bed. She smiled, saying, her voice hoarse, "Daniel."

He smiled back at her, smoothing her hair as he said, "Hey. How are you feeling?"

She stretched a little. "Like, how my serial impregnater of a husband would say, crap. How are you? Cameron told me about your new babies... how are you and Sam?"

Daniel helped her to sit up, supporting her back with pillows as he replied with a drained smile, "Very, very tired. Sam and the babies are asleep. Can I get you anything?"

She shook her head and replied, resting her head back against her pillows, "No... I'm not sure I'll be able to keep it down." She looked at him in concern, "How are you? Cameron was really upset about letting you go to the school by yourself... and you should have seen Samantha. She was so determined to find you. How did she manage to get pregnant?" The alien frowned.

He shrugged and replied, trying to blink past his tiredness, "It's a long story."

"I'll bet it is. It always is with you."

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on her bed as he remarked with a little smile, "So... you're a Mommy again."

She groaned. "I'm going to neuter my husband if he thinks of doing this again."

He replied with a shrug, "Well, Jonas is thinking about having a baby... so maybe it could catch on."

She reached out to touch his jaw, saying with an affectionate smile, "You're the most courageous and selfless man I know. Samantha is and forever will be a very lucky woman."

The Archaeologist blushed, ducking his head in embarrassment and she continued to smile at him. She continued, "You should sleep, Daniel."

"I wanted to see you. Mitchell's showing your daughter off to everyone he can think of... and I had to make Sam go to sleep."

She chuckled in amusement and he asked, concerned, "Are you sure that I can't get you anything?"

"I'm sure, Daniel. Thanks." She watched him for a moment. "So... what are you going to do now? I imagine you still won't be back on SG-1."

"I imagine I will... to be honest, I don't think either me or Sam ever left. It's just all been on hiatus. And anyway, the only operational members of the team are Mitchell and Jonas, what with the rest of us either out of action or having a violent time off-world with Ish'ta."

She remarked in amusement, "They seemed alright earlier."

"They'd use staff weapons on the advancing enemy... of course they were alright... no tension."

"Well... that and Muscles is finally getting some, what Cameron calls, action." Her smile faded. "I miss old times... the last time I woke up, I thought of us on Ortus Mallum... and Atlantis... and the places we went to because of those Ancient prophecies. We'll never do anything like that again because you, Samantha and Teal'c aren't on the team."

"One day, Vala... one day. Babysitting IOA delegates never goes right."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

House sat on a gurney in a quiet part of the Infirmary, deep in thought as he held a canister of Vicodin in his hand. He exhaled, holding the object up to the light, perplexed at not feeling like taking them any more. Where before there had been an unconscious decision – no, necessity – in taking each tablet, he now hesitated. What was wrong?

Some time later, Daniel emerged from Vala's room and watched the doctor in the distance with concern, feeling his confusion. He quietly wheeled up to his position and said when the doctor glanced in his direction,

"Sam can't control her healing power that well. When she healed the extensive damage caused by the bullets, she healed your infarction... and apparently your Vicodin addiction. You're not immortal though."

"Shame... I always wanted to outlive the last Stone." House finally threw the canister into a bin that was a few metres away, and then exhaled before looking at the Archaeologist and asking, "How's the horny alien?"

Daniel looked at him reprovingly before saying, a little annoyed until he felt Sam soothe him, "If you're referring to Vala... she's very tired."

House watched him for a moment. "What happened? You dump her for General McBoobs?"

"House..."

Daniel rolled his eyes when the doctor feigned innocence, and the Archaeologist replied, trying to hold his anger back, "We were never an item. I care for Vala as a friend... I always have."

"I'm sensing something more. Ok... so you're not forthcoming about your part in it but she cares a lot about you."

Daniel grimaced slightly. "She does." He paused. "It's water under the bridge. She was attracted to me for a long while, but we're ok with it now. As friends, we've come a long way since then."

"I'll say... you know, her baby resembles you. And now that I think about it... little Daniela actually resembles Colonel Mitchell."

Daniel, powered by anger alone, shot out of his wheelchair and punched the doctor in the face repeatedly as Cam and Jonas entering the Infirmary with Teal'c and their babies, shouted for him to stop, Teal'c going to the doctor's rescue as an alarmed Cassie peered out of Carolyn's room, Jack sprinting over to break it up. As Teal'c stood in between the doctor and the Archaeologist, Jack yanked Daniel away, exclaiming,

"Jesus! What the hell is going on!?"

Daniel, still highly charged, shot back, breathing heavily, "That bastard insulted Sam."

Jack's eyebrow shot up. "And you didn't think to zap him?"

"He's been making jokes about her since he started. I'll kill him."

Jack gestured silently to Teal'c to take the now stunned doctor away, and when Daniel made to raise a hand in the doctor's direction, the old General grabbed it as a very weak Sam emerged from her room, leaning in the doorway and watching the scene with concern. Jack exclaimed, forcefully sitting the Archaeologist down in his wheelchair,

"Daniel! Stop it. You zap him and I'll kill you myself. Whatever happened to Spiderman's motto? _With great power comes great responsibility_? How is killing that ass a responsible act? You used to come up with the most sarcastic and cutting comebacks before... what happened to you? What happened to the man I knew who wouldn't raise a hand against anyone unless it was absolutely necessary? I don't want this bastard that's replaced him. Now, chill. Post-natal or not, if you pick another fight, I'll have you thrown off this base. Is that understood?"

Daniel angry at Jack's words too, muttered a curse in Abydonian before beginning to sulk. As Jonas went back to Carolyn's room with Henry, Cam trying and failing to get Sam back into hers, Sam slowly emerged into the Infirmary and kneeled on the floor next to Daniel's chair. The Archaeologist instantly looked at her in concern, worried that she had got out of bed, when she squeezed his hand, looking highly worried as she said,

"Daniel... just stop being so volatile. You know he's an ass and he has really bad social skills. Why did you rise to the bait?" She smoothed his hair back. "I'm grateful that you don't hesitate to defend me now, but you know I would kick his ass if I wanted to... if it was necessary, but he'll never change; especially if you keep proving his strange theories about insecure men. He's harmless." He gazed at her, now docile, and she kissed him on the cheek before saying, still holding his hand,

"Go and apologise to him. True, he may never return the compliment but would you rather stoop to his level?"

Jack remarked, rolling his eyes as they both looked at him in amusement, "And if I'd said that, you'd be flashing those fists of fury at me." He looked at Sam, "Right... Carter, my Brigadier-General, get back to your room before I get you a Marine escort. I'll escort Dannyboy to la casa mia."

Sam glared at the General before touching the Archaeologist's cheek and then disappearing in a flash of bluish-white light as Daniel looked disappointed. Jack remarked as he stood up to push the wheelchair,

"Chin up, Space Monkey. Depending on whether you're your usual self or not, which would involve using those blue, blue eyes on that ass, you'll be back in no time to spoon and watch her breastfeed. You dog."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

With Teal'c and Jack outside, Daniel wheeled himself into House's office, the doctor bouncing what appeared to be a large tennis ball against the wall. He looked up, his jaw bruised, and said,

"Well... I guess someone owes someone an apology. I think I'll start." He sighed. "I'm sorry. You of all people know I can't help being an ass. It just happens. I push people away."

Daniel, knowing just how hard it was for House to be that forthcoming about himself, replied quietly, "I knew that... that's why I'm sorry too. I... I guess a verbal spar's better than a physical one."

"Less painful too."

Daniel looked at him shyly and opened his mouth to speak when House asked the same question Daniel was about to, "So... are we cool? You and me?"

Daniel replied with a little smile, "My son's still named after you."

"Cool." He looked at Daniel seriously. "About the things I say about the General... I..."

Daniel nodded in partial understanding. "I know. You're an ass. It's a cover for your pain. Not a good cover, I'll admit, but a cover."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"I can't believe I lost it."

Sam remarked, watching Daniel as she lie next to him in his bed, his arms around her, "I can't believe it either. Being post natal usually entails depression and insecurity. But you have to be different... punching a doctor's lights out. I'm glad you apologised because who knows? He might have done something that only doctors would understand... and then it's touch and go."

After a long pause, he looked at her, the Astrophysicist seeing the shame in his eyes. "It felt good... punching him."

Even more worried that she had been before, she gazed at him. "I hope that's not going to be a habit. That was horrible what you did to him... at least you healed him too." She turned away from him, upset at his change of behaviour, and he hugged her tighter, saying softly,

"I'm sorry, Sam. Like a typical idiot, I just hit him without thinking... but he was insulting you. I hate it when he calls you General McBoobs. It demeans how far you've come, how hard you've worked to get to be a General... bringing your mammary glands into the equation as though you were some sort of a commodity. It's disgusting."

"It's House."

She turned back to look at him as she said, feeling tired, "You know that it's only you, don't you?"

He frowned, wondering where she was going with that line of inquiry as she continued, stroking his cheek, "You have some serious jealousy problems, whether they're conscious or otherwise. I mean... let's take the Doctor for instance. You bruised his nose because you thought he was taking me away from you."

He looked up at the ceiling, shamefaced as she continued, unable to prevent herself from smiling, "And before that... Ortus Mallum. You were jealous of Artur... I still remember you putting your arm around me after the mission when he saw us off."

He sighed and said quietly, kissing her hair, "I'm sorry, Sam. Next time, I'll think first before acting. I usually do... it's just that with you, all reason and logic flies out of the window." She smiled, kissing him softly as she replied,

"You don't know how hard it is for me not to punch out most of the women on this base for the way they look at you... but I for one am glad that you are completely oblivious... well, not _completely _per se... when it comes to women."


	22. Welcome Home

On their first night back in the house with their entire family, after a baby shower and a welcome home party for the new babies, Sam sat in the lounge, nursing Greg as Daniela lie asleep in a cot nearby, the General continuing to bond with her new son. When she had finished, she gently kissed him on the forehead and whispered,

"Let's hope that neither you nor your sister ever get as insecure as Daddy."

_'Sam...'_

'_I know you're sorry, Daniel... I'm just hoping your Jackson complex isn't congenital... or hereditary in Greg's case._'

She smiled slightly on hearing him sigh, and she asked, '_How are the rest of our blue-eyed horde?_'

_'Surprisingly peaceful. You do realise we have seven kids, don't you?'_

She retorted, ever so slightly amused, '_Really? That eluded me... I mean we had five and then another two come into our lives... never expect a woman in labour to do the math._'

She smiled on hearing him laugh and she asked,_ 'Are you going to come down?'_

_'Yeah... give me a minute.'_

'_Ok._'

She burped Greg and then cradled him in her arms, kissing his cheek as Daniel appeared. The Archaeologist watched her hold their son and he couldn't help but feel an outpouring of love for her. She, sensing this, turned to look at him from her position and smiled a smile that took his breath away. He made his way to her as she carefully laid Greg next to his sister, and she turned to hug Daniel. She gently pulled him into her embrace so that he was lying in her arms on the couch, and she kissed the top of his head, saying softly as she began to feel sad again,

"I nearly lost you again."

He sighed, resting his head against her bosom as he replied, softly again so as not to wake their children, "Thanks for saving me, Sam."

"It was really Jack who did it... he took out the Anti-Ancient device. I had all this power at my disposal and I couldn't do it."

"Come on... you were tired and drained. If you'd been fully charged, you would have nuked it."

She remarked, raising an eyebrow, "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

He looked up at her lovingly. "I meant it."

She smiled and kissed him again, whispering, "We always seem to find our way back to each other, don't we?"

He nodded. "Oh yeah. That could be something to do with the whole Guardian and Listener thing... as well as the Jesus and..."

"Daniel!"

He smiled sheepishly. "I know... sorry."

She held him tighter. "The last thing I need is for you to get a Messiah complex. I love you just the way you are... wonderful, brilliant, amazing, selfless, compassionate... insecure and prone to jealousy."

He made to apologise again when she said, threading her fingers through his hair, "No... we've been over this... I... come on, I know why you hit him... and the Doctor. I don't exactly condone it but I understand why you did it. I just wish you were more secure about how I feel about you and how nothing and no-one will ever take me away from you."

He raised himself over her and smiled a smile that lit up his face. "I love you... you're crazy and no-one else would be crazy enough to take me on. Thank you."

She reached up to stroke his cheek as they maintained eye contact for a long moment. "No... thank you for being... well, you."

They smiled and he rested his head against her bosom once again as she held him, and she remarked, "It's nice to know that if we get into any trouble this side of the Universe, the Atlantis gang are willing to come through Hell and high water to get us out of it."

"It's the SG-team complex." He sighed. "I can't believe how much Samantha's grown this past year... and she looks quite a lot like her mother."

She smiled against his hair. "She's going to be Carson mark II when she's older... just you wait. And Charlotte..." She raised her eyebrows. "... I'm not sure if that's still going to be clear cut with James in the future. I get the feeling that our three boys will be fighting over her."

"Now _that_ would be entertaining."

"And now that I think about it... Claire, Grace and Daniela are probably going to be fighting Cammie for Francis."

He snorted with laughter, remarking, "He'll probably be as suave with the ladies as his old man."

"Oh... I don't know... Daniel told me that he's a sweet guy in his timeline and that..." She stopped on feeling Daniel freeze in her arms and she noticed that he had closed his eyes. Sensing his discomfort and pain, not just post natal related, she kissed his hair and remarked,

"Remember what I said about you and only you? No-one can replace you. Now, I know you're feeling upset because that older Daniel is essentially you with the same feelings and whatnot but believe me... he's not you. He lost his Sam... you haven't lost yours."

She felt sad on seeing him cry quietly, feeling his increasing pain, and she ran her fingers through his hair as she rested her head against his. She whispered,

"Daniel... I want to be able to talk to you about anything... about the other Daniel even... but I can't if you keep taking it personally like this. During our time together in Atlantis, we never... you know... I swear to you. You've seen what happened... I shared my memories with you the last time you got upset about it."

He raised his head to look down at her once again as he replied, his eyes brightened by tears, "Sam... you don't understand. Yes, I am still kind of upset about that, but it's the fact that I sent you and our unborn children to their deaths in that timeline. I killed you. I'll never ever live with the fact that that resulted in such an unbelievable horror in the original timeline."

He softly kissed her, and she replied, her eyes moist as she looked up at him, "Stop feeling guilty about it, Daniel. I'm sure the me from that timeline would never blame you... and don't go on about how I can say that. I can say that because she was essentially me at that point in time, and believe me... I'd never blame you at all. What happened is part and parcel of the jobs we did then."

"Just for the record, I'd die if I lost you again."

She shushed him, touched by his words as she said, "That's enough talk about loss for one night. We're ok now. We're fine. Let's just start to enjoy our lives again... well, after we get over this rut of being post natal."

He remarked with a weary sigh, "Tell me about it." He looked at her. "I'm sorry if it doesn't look like I'm interested in you... you know, sexually... it's just..."

She rolled her eyes and retorted, amused, "Hello. I've been through it before and I'm going through the same thing now. To be honest, I can't imagine being intimate with you ever again but... the rational part of me, however small that is now, knows that this will pass." She exhaled as she tightened her hold on him. "We'll get through this... together, just like we promised."


	23. Mothers

Carson, sat on the front porch of the Carter-Jackson house, cradled Greg in her arms as Sam, sat next to her, nursed Daniela while Jake, Claire, Grace, and Samantha Carson-Beckett played together noisily in the grass as their mothers watched. Sam said with a sigh as she stroked Daniela's cheek,

"Carson... you don't have to cancel the weddings. How long have you guys been waiting?"

"Come on, that's neither here nor there... if we have it now, you and Daniel won't be able to make it... and we really do want you there... you especially to officiate as our commanding officer. That way, at least Teyla can de-stress."

Sam smiled as she remembered the stories about Teyla's over-preparation. "How is she?"

"Oh, just fine... Brightman's threatening to sedate her if she so much as leaves her quarters. Ordinarily that wouldn't stop her but when talk of a dart gun came into the equation, that put her off... a wee bit." The dark-haired doctor looked at her and asked,

"So... how are things?"

Sam shrugged slightly, replying, "Hectic but cool... well, a little depressing but..."

"Ah... that's the post partum depression. At least you know what's going on and how to eventually get around it. After I had Samantha, I didn't cope very well. Rodney, bless him, did his best, but I just didn't feel like a good mother... to be honest, I still don't but I'll live."

Sam nodded in understanding. "That's exactly how I felt after each of my births." She blinked back tears. "Some pretty bad thoughts too." Carson leaned over to hug the General with the arm that wasn't holding Greg, and she said, tears in her own eyes which she put down to her topsy-turvy hormones,

"Aww... sweetheart... you're going to be fine... and you have Daniel. He seems to be coping relatively."

Carson resumed her seat as Sam replied as she finished nursing Daniela, wiping the baby's mouth, "Barely but he's... he's such an amazing person. If his leg was hanging off, I'd doubt that he'd complain. He's been a bit down though but he's working on it."

"True, true... what a husband though."

Sam smiled, and Carson continued, "He's always be there for you... always helping out with the baby... or babies." She shrugged. "Rodney helps out with Samantha sometimes but he can get pretty annoying when he's got work to do. He does try though." She remarked with a chuckle as she bounced a squirming Greg in her hold. "Before the Asgard xeroxed me, I'd never thought I'd actually see Rodney the way that I do now but it's like an extension... an evolution if you will of our relationship then."

Sam, amused, replied as Daniela drifted off to sleep, "I don't think anyone saw that coming. You do make a good couple though... I wonder what would have happened in time had you not died."

Carson shrugged and remarked, "Who knows?" Her smile faded as she looked out at the children playing in the grass. "I know I wouldn't have Samantha though. She means the world to me. I just wish my Mam could see her."

Sam, cradling Daniela in her right arm, put a comforting arm around Carson as she felt her pain, not sure of what to say but comforting the doctor by the physical contact and reminding her that she wasn't alone. Carson smiled in thanks and asked softly,

"How's Grace taking to not being baby Carter-Jackson anymore?"

Sam, her arm still around Carson, replied, "Well... I think she's adjusting but I know I've got to spend more time with her to show that I don't love her any less now that the babies are here. The twins are doing fine... and James and Cammie are blossoming so much."

"They've grown so much since I last saw them... and James is just such an effervescent wee bairn."

Sam smiled with a little sigh. "Now that... he gets from his mother. His natural mother."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"So Jackson... how're you feeling?"

Daniel shrugged as he sat on Cam's front porch with the Colonel, said Colonel holding his daughter as Francis took to climbing onto an amused Daniel. "I'm fine."

Knowing the Archaeologist's tendency to dismiss his own feelings as unimportant, Cam remarked, "If you're not, I want to know. You're my buddy and we're all supposed to be looking out for each other."

"Mitchell... I really am fine." He shrugged. "I know I gave birth, in an even more unorthodox fashion than before, but I'm dealing with it."

"Ah-ha... dealing with it... that's one step up from 'I'm fine'."

They looked up and greeted Jonas when the Kelownan joined them, holding Henry in his arms, said Kelownan remarking, "That's as far as you're going to get with our Archaeological Linguist extraordinaire, Cam. You've read the same reports that I have – he's been through all sorts."

Cam chuckled and Daniel asked, now holding a squirming and giggling Francis, "How's Carolyn?"

"Lyn's ok... she and Vala are, ah, bitching about stuff."

The three men smiled in amusement, and Jonas asked, "So is what Colonel Sheppard said true, then? That they're gonna, ah, cancel?"

Daniel replied, feeling drained, "Uh... I don't think so. It's just a possibility. Sam won't stand for it though. She's threatened to lock the Atlantis address out of the dialling computer if they keep holding it off."

Cam remarked as he soothed a whimpering Samantha, "I'd take editing their memories over that anyday..." He grimaced on remembering, in depth, experiencing such an event. "On second thoughts... lock 'em out."

"They won't... me and Sam are just going to have to get ready."


	24. Daddy

_Lyrics featured are Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam lay in bed, watching Daniel sleep... much further away than he ever had, even when they had shared her bed when they had just been friends. She began to sniffle, feeling as though she had hit rock-bottom, scared that he would leave her, that he didn't love her any more. Hearing the new babies cry, she closed her eyes, concentrating at them, and seconds later, she was in their room, soothing them.

As she leaned over their cribs, watching them, tears began to sting her eyes as she wondered what kind of a future they and their siblings would have if their parents' relationship worsened any further. She released a shuddering breath and then straightened in surprise on seeing a flash of light in front of her. The light faded around the glowing figure of Jacob Carter, and she smiled in surprise and relief as he remarked with a worried expression,

"What's cooking, kiddo?"

She hugged him, saying as she began to cry again, "Dad." He held her tighter as she continued, "It's horrible... I feel terrible. I don't think I can do this any more..."

He asked, worried even further, "What? What can't you do?"

"Being me... I'm a bad mother... I'm a terrible wife. I couldn't even stop Daniel from being kidnapped... I could have tried harder to clear the SGC of all those Trust agents... and I don't think Daniel loves me any more. He won't touch me and he stays away from me. And we have one baby sooner than expected... and another we hadn't even expected at all."

He, perturbed at her outpouring, said quietly but firmly, forcing her to look him in the eyes, "Sammy... that is the biggest tonne of crap I've ever heard you say. You're a wonderful... everything... ok? _Everything_. Just because you're part-Ancient now doesn't make you omnipotent or omniscient. You couldn't have stopped them... you didn't know it was going to happen and then you had to conserve your energy. You saved his life. Remember that. Not only did you save his life, you saved Greg's life too." He touched her cheek. "You kicked some serious ass. I don't want to ever see you doubting yourself like this again, d'you hear?"

He smiled slightly. "As for my favourite kiddy-in-law... he does love you. Oh boy, does he love you. He can't switch _those_ kind of feelings off just like that. You both have issues you need to deal with. He'll reach out to you when he feels up to it... it's hard for him too. You've got to do your best to stop him from closing in on himself." He kissed her forehead. "My beautiful little girl... you remind me so much of your mother every day. What I would do to have her back."

He stroked her cheek. "He came back from Ancient-land... he gave up being the Chief Elder for you. You know he would give up everything for you. He believes that the only reason he has got as far as he has in life, particularly with the Ancient thing, is because of you and how you loved him." He smiled. "You should have heard how he shouted at the Others when he found out that they had kept him from you deliberately. You would have been so proud."

He dried her tears and remarked with a smile as he noticed her improved composure, "Now, don't you feel better for confiding in your old man?"

She smiled and hugged him. "Thanks Dad."

"Anytime, kiddo." His arm around her, he said with a grin, "I came to see my grandkids and I made my daughter feel better. Everlasting enlightenment my foot. This is where the big emotional gratification is at."

He carefully picked up Daniela with Sam's help, and he remarked with a proud smile as the baby squirmed, "This takes me back..." He smiled at Sam. "Forty-eight years ago I first held you in my arms. One look in those eyes of yours and I was lost. You were so tiny but you were a little fighter." He chuckled. "Who knew that that would set a precedent for your whole life?" He kissed her on the forehead and remarked, "Despite what you may think, Sam, I was always proud of you... and I never once wished that you were a boy."

Teary-eyed, she rested her head on her father's shoulder, whispering, "Thanks, Dad... that means a lot."

"I should hope so, young lady." They both looked to the doorway on sensing someone and she raised her hand to switch on a night light as Jacob stopped himself from glowing as Grace appeared in the doorway, calling as she rubbed an eye with a fist,

"Mommy?"

Jacob and Sam exchanged a glance, the elder Carter remarking, "Speaking of little fighters..."

Sam picked Grace up, the little girl rubbing her eyes and resting her head on her mother's shoulder as Sam asked, looking down at her, "Gracie? What's wrong?"

The little girl shook her head and then looked at Jacob, still holding onto her mother, and Sam with a smile as she stroked her cheek, "You remember Grandpa, don't you?" Grace nodded shyly as Jacob carefully put Daniela back in her crib and he remarked affectionately,

"Did anyone tell you that it's rude to keep the elderly waiting, little lady?"

Sam smiled, feeling happier as she passed a shy Grace to Jacob, who bounced his granddaughter in his hold, saying as he looked at her, "You look more like your Mommy each time I see you. Come on, don't be shy... you drooled on Grandpa last time."

He touched the tip of the little girl's nose and she finally smiled at him, kissing him on the cheek as Sam laughed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Feeling a lot better, Sam returned to bed after settling Grace and the babies down after Jacob had left, to find Daniel sitting up. She asked as sat next to him,

"Daniel?"

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and whispered, "I love you so much, Sam... I really do." She frowned, confused as she hugged him back, and he continued, "Sorry... I heard you and Dad. I feel a fool for the way I've been treating you... it's just that..." he sighed, and she kissed his ear.

"I know, Daniel. It's going to take time... but we're going to be ok, aren't we?"

He smiled as he held her face in his hands, caressing her cheeks with his thumbs as she gazed at him in the dark. "We'll be more than ok... you're absolutely amazing." He gently kissed her, and she whispered,

"I'm here, Daniel... don't lock me out. We're going through the same thing."

"Sorry Sam." He kissed her cheek. "Let's get better so those poor Atlantis people can, as Ronon put it once, have sex with less guilt."

She laughed, remarking in disbelief as they lie down, "He said that?"

He smiled. "Yep."

"Sounds like Vala."

"Yep."

He held her in his arms, caressing her hip and she said, kissing his nose, "Let's go on a head trip. I think that could heal us faster."

"Are you sure?"

"It's helped us before... compressed space and time. We'll be back to our usual selves a lot quicker... and without necessarily glossing over sensitive issues."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They found themselves seated at a camp-fire near a large lake, dark hills, mountains and forest surrounding the area in the distance as three moons dominated the sky. Gazing around herself, Sam asked, "Where are we?"

She looked at him seated opposite her as he replied, "P5X-202... the one with the nice lake." They simultaneously looked up at the moons, the larger of the three a vivid lilac hue, another a sparkling silver, and they smiled. She remarked as she met his gaze, looking a lot happier than she had been in recent days,

"We're finally on a honeymoon?"

He smiled back at her and shrugged. "I'm not a cheapskate, Sam... I promised you a proper one when the kids are old enough."

She moved round to sit next to him, holding his hand as she leaned her head on his shoulder, and she grinned, looking up at him. "This is so great."

He kissed her forehead affectionately. "It is." He caressed her cheek. "I'm sorry about how I've been."

They kissed and she replied, hugging him, "Right back at you... we've both been pretty damn post partum." She exhaled, looking up on seeing the fireflies dance above them, and he followed her gaze, replying softly,

"We're going to get through this, Sam."

Still grinning, she grabbed his hand excitedly and they stood up, walking to the lake's edge. Holding him close, she asked,

"Are you feeling better than you do in real-time?"

He nodded, kissing her neck, and she continued, "I can't remember ever feeling like this."

"Me neither."

"_Kiss me out of the bearded barley  
Nightly, beside the green, green grass  
Swing, swing, swing the spinning step  
You wear those shoes and I will wear that dress..._"

They smiled as they gazed at each other, her arms around his neck, and he tenderly kissed her, a hand cupping her jaw. She smiled even more as she caressed the back of his neck, her other hand going to the small of his back, and they closed their eyes as their thoughts communed. Grinning as he gazed at her, he took her by the hand as music started up from nowhere in particular, and he led her away from the lake, the two beginning to dance in the light of the three moons.

"_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight  
Lead me out on the moonlit floor  
Lift your open hand  
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance  
Silver moon's sparkling  
So kiss me..._"

Still holding each other, they looked up as fireworks exploded in the sky above them, fireflies just above their heads, and they leisurely kissed.

"_Kiss me down by the broken tree house  
Swing me upon its hanging tire  
Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat  
We'll take the trail marked on your father's map..._"

During the clinch, she unbuttoned the shirt that he hadn't been wearing before they had gone to this place, her hands smoothing over the expanse of skin beneath as she felt him tremble a little. She gazed up at him, slightly worried but he kissed her and they began to slowly undress each other, taking their time.

"_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight  
Lead me out on the moonlit floor  
Lift your open hand  
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance  
Silver moon's sparkling_

_So kiss me..._"

Basked in the light of the moons, they slowly sank to the ground, making love in the grass as they fully opened their minds up to each other, feeling everything that the other was feeling, and for the first time in what felt an eternity, feeling at one... with not only each other but their surroundings too.

"_Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight  
Lead me out on the moonlit floor  
Lift your open hand  
Strike up the band and make the fireflies dance  
Silver moon's sparkling  
So kiss me..._"

After becoming one and the explosive climax that had followed, releasing pent-up emotions and tension, they held onto each other through the aftermath, exchanging kisses and gentle caresses. Feeling free, they rested their heads together, and he rubbed her back, whispering, his lips close to her ear,

"No matter what happens... I'll always love you."__


	25. Explaining to a Six Year Old

Sam remarked with a little grin as she and Daniel sat in the park together with their babies sleeping soundly in their pram as the rest of their children played with Charlotte, Helen, Francis, and Samantha Beckett-McKay, "I can't believe the ones who started us out on this big journey are being skipped ahead three grades." She turned to kiss her husband. "They get that from you."

"Saaam!" He eventually smiled, embarrassed nonetheless, and he returned her kiss as he caressed her jaw. Feeling utterly at peace, especially so after they had begun to get back on track, she sighed happily as she rested her head on his shoulder as she slipped an arm around her, kissing her forehead.

As they watched Jack, mini-Jack and Cam running around, charging at Teal'c, Jonas, Sheppard, Ronon, McKay, Carson and Lorne with various SG-1 and Atlantis progeny under their arms at different points, they laughed, and he said softly, "After all these years of fighting, the struggles we've been through, the things we've seen... this moment... this one moment in time alone makes it so very worth it." They smiled as they watched Cassie and Simon somewhat in the distance, kissing, and she replied with a glowing smile,

"Most definitely."

She hugged him, slipping an arm around his waist as she felt at one with everything... but most importantly, Daniel, and they saw Vala, Elizabeth, Teyla, Carolyn, Ish'ta, Sara and Jennifer talking and laughing as they took turns to hold Henry, and Samantha Mitchell. Sam continued,

"Like one huge family."

"Not _like..._" They gazed at each other and kissed tenderly. "We are one big family... true, we may have been brought together by far from desirable circumstances, but..." he grinned. "... I couldn't imagine life any other way now."

"Me neither." She nudged him teasingly. "So... our six year olds are going to be in third grade in a couple of weeks." She slipped her arms around his neck. "You don't give yourself nearly enough credit." She paused, amused. "Wait... this is you we're talking about... you don't give yourself _any_ credit." She kissed the tip of his nose as he blushed. "It's those Jackson genes." Smiling at him, she ran her fingers through the hair at the back of his head, and he kissed her softly.

She whispered with a smile as she gazed up into his eyes, her eyes a little moist, "I'm proud of you, Daniel... you managed to give birth without drugs... more or less the conventional way albeit with a major difference and..." her smile faded slightly. "... you named our little boy after your Dad. I know how you felt about everything and for you to do that..." she kissed him once again, and he replied, touching her cheek,

"I understood then... I mean I always understood but I never consciously... you know... I'm still angry at how he'd double-crossed Mom like that but... your Mom was a wonderful woman. When we went to see her, she reminded me so much of you and how I feel about you must be something similar to what my Dad felt for your Mom. Us Jackson men have a weakness for you Carter women."

They were about to kiss when Jack called, Jake and James under his arms, "Hey!" They turned to look at him, looking guilty. "You keep going like that and Greg and Dani are gonna have a herd of younger brothers and sisters running about by tomorrow." They blushed, looking down in embarrassment as their friends laughed, and Daniel called, exasperated,

"Jaaaack!"

"Don't get flippant with me, Daniel. You and your missus get so hot for each other that you forget to use protection. Now I'm supposed to be Catholic and..."

Sam remarked, glancing a little nervously at an ebullient James, "Jack... the kids."

Jack retorted with raised eyebrows, "Ah... good point. You and your brood of geniuses." He grinned down at James. "You wanna tackle Uncle T?"

James grinned back, shaking his head. "No... don't wanna."

"Yellow belly."

"Grump ass."

Jack and the Jacksons looked at mini-Jack, who retorted with a shrug, "The boy's got a good memory."

Jack put James down on the ground, the little boy running to his mother's arms. Sam picked him up in her lap and said with a grin, glancing at Daniel as Jack resumed playing with the others, "Don't you want to play, little man?"

The little boy shook his head and replied, leaning his head on his mother's shoulder, "I want to play with you but Uncle Jack said you and Daddy are too busy making out." As his parents' faces flamed in embarrassment and awkwardness, he asked with a sweet smile, "Mommy... what does that mean? What are you making? Are you making cookies? Where's the oven?"

Sam and Daniel glanced at each other, looking a little shocked and knowing that the curious questioning could get worse as James and Cammie grew older.

_'Oh boy.'_

'_Yep..._'

_'Can I kill Jack now?'_

'_No... he's still your superior officer. I'll do it._'

Daniel cleared his throat and replied, feigning innocence, "It means, young man, that we're making up things to do to Uncle Jack."

James asked with a frown as Sam smiled discreetly, "Oh... so... how are you too hot for each other? Did you get burned by fire? And how come you didn't use any protection?" The Jacksons shared an anxious glance and then Sam replied,

"It means we're... we've been in the sun too long without using sunblock."

"That's not good... you'll get all hot and burned and ill."

"Yeah. Go and play with your Uncles while Daddy and I consider dismembering Uncle Jack."

James nodded. "Ok, Mommy." Sam kissed the little boy on the forehead affectionately and lifted him up so she could put him down on the ground, and he patted Daniel on the knee. "Bye, Space Monkey." As Sam covered her mouth to hide a grin, James peeked into the pram, watching the babies sleeping and he whispered, touching their cheeks carefully,

"Bye-bye, babies."

He then ran in the direction of his Uncles, siblings and cousins, and Sam remarked, still feeling awkward as she and Daniel slipped their arms around each other, "We've got to talk to Jack."

Daniel replied, playing with her hair idly as they looked out across the park at the anarchic game of what appeared to a mêlée of football, American football and rugby with some basketball, "We can't protect them forever, Sam... they'll pick up a lot worse in third grade."

She frowned worriedly and said, "About... _that_..."

"We'll tell them what they need to know at their age. It's only a matter of time before either of them asks where babies come from and they're too bright and curious like their Mommy to buy the stork story."

He tightened his hold on her. "It won't be as scary as it seems. We won't have to go into detail."

"I'm just scared that our little bright buttons are going to ask way too many questions."

He retorted in amusement, "And where do you think they get that from, Guinevere?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Don't worry about it, Sam... Teyla's just fine."

Sam said with a shrug as she stood in the kitchen of the Carter-Jackson house with Elizabeth, a sleepy Claire on her shoulder, "It's ok. I am your CO after all and Teyla's not going to enjoy it, judging by how much stress she's been putting herself through to get prepared. I'll be more than happy to do it."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow slowly. "But you've just given birth..."

"I'm fine, honestly... I've been looking forward to the wedding of the year... we both have. For obvious reasons though... I'm not sure about bringing our kids. I think we can get away with Grace."

"I wish we could have had it on Earth... that way, everyone would be able to make it."

"Well, I'm sure Cammie and James... the older version will be there. It's ok."

Elizabeth nodded and Sam asked with a smile, "So how's things?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Good... very good."

"Good."

"John's such a wonderful man... and an amazing father. I'll admit I did have reservations about his ability to settle down, considering what Rodney referred to on several occasions as his Captain Kirk tendencies but..." she paused, smiling to herself mostly, "... he's been great. We can talk about just about anything and since we went back to the City, we've become so much closer. I'm worried that Charlotte isn't getting everything that she could have got had we decided to stay on Earth, but... my little girl's blossoming."

"That's really good to hear. It's been a long time coming." She chuckled. "Charlotte's cheeky like her Daddy."

"That's for sure... the number of times Rodney has had to watch his back... like father, like daughter."

They laughed, and Elizabeth asked, "So how are you and Daniel doing? You're suddenly a lot happier."

Sam nodded. "We're cool. The whole thing on Kheb was overwhelming but we're good. In true Carter-Jackson fashion, we got surprises. It's been especially hard on Daniel seeing as he got abducted." Sam frowned, perturbed, and Elizabeth patted her shoulder,

"Everything's fine now."

Sam nodded. "I know. It's all over. Thank God... I hate Agent Merek's preoccupation with Daniel... you know, it's all from when Daniel defended me."

"Oh... before the Ark of Truth mission?"

"Yeah."

"Well he's gone now."

They looked down for a moment in thought, and then Sam remarked, amused, "So what's this I hear about you having another baby?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "No... why does everyone keep saying that? Someone apparently overheard Rodney talking about it... it turns out that he and Carson were discussing naming their next impossibility after me... and it got misheard."

"I'll say." Sam patted Claire on the back gently. "I'm marrying you and Shep."

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows mirthfully, and Sam continued, glaring yet smiling slightly, "As a commanding officer... yeesh, you've been around Shep too much."


	26. Build Up

House, between cases, sat in his office, leaning back in his chair as he threw a large tennis ball up in the air, catching it as he frowned in thought, the world his Rubik's cube. He was considering getting up when there was a knock at the door. He carried on throwing and catching, knowing that the others knew, or should know, that he didn't answer his door.

A few seconds later, Sam, in dress blues, opened the door, remarking with a bemused expression, "If I'd been Jack, you would have had hell to pay."

"If you'd been _Jack_, I would have been strangely attracted to you." He continued, noting to his inner content her bewildered expression as he dropped the ball from his fingers, "So, what brings you here, ein General?"

She mentally shook herself, concentrating on the deeply buried spark of goodness that she could sense within him, and she asked, glancing at his cane that was propped up against a wall, "Aren't you coming?"

"Coming where?"

"To Atlantis... the wedding... three weddings. Remember?"

He shrugged, still seated. "I don't know them. I'm all for going to strangers' weddings for the buffet but..." she felt his fear. "... it's another galaxy."

Closing the door behind her, she moved closer, standing next to his desk as he looked up at her, somewhat surprised. She said, sighing quietly,

"House... I don't know whether you're scared of the 'gate or the distance, or just because you think no-one likes you... but they want you there." She smiled slightly, offering her hand. "I want you there. You're as much family as Cam, Vala, Teal'c and Jonas are."

He asked, vulnerability showing briefly, "What about Doctor Jackson?"

She smiled tightly and remarked, "You boys will just have to play nice."

_'Hey!'_

_'Daniel...'_

_'Fine... fine. At least let me break something when we get home again.'_

She sighed quietly and then said with a smile, "Come on." He looked up at her, as though assessing her motives, and he said gruffly,

"You're just doing this to make him jealous so you'll get better sex... to be honest, he shouldn't be doing it in his condition and neither should..."

She closed her eyes, exasperated. "House!?"

He stopped talking and then after a long moment, he nodded, looking down at his hands as he said, now letting his guard down slowly, "Ok."

She asked, confused, "Is that an ok for not making obscene remarks, or an ok for going?"

"The last one's easier." He paused. "Everyone's going?"

She nodded, and he asked, "Even the Jackson seven?"

She grimaced. "Uh... not exactly. We're just taking Grace... she's not likely to remember it when she's older."

"Ah." He paused again. "Of course, you could do a Batman and take all of your kids."

She frowned in confusion and then remarked in disbelief, "I'm not inducing temporary amnesia in my children."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Over in Atlantis, McKay, having already retrieved his sister from Earth, paced he floor of the gateroom anxiously, rambling as a slightly less amused Sheppard and Lorne looked on, all three dressed in their expeditionary uniforms.

"What if the 'gate malfunctions? I've run seventeen 'gate diagnostics already... maybe it needs eighteen, or there's a failsafe at twenty attempts and something'll crop up. I..."

Sheppard grabbed him by the shoulders suddenly, shaking him a little too violently in order to silence him, remarking grumpily, feeling more than a little nervous, "Can it. You're making me nervous."

McKay gawped at him for a moment and then when Sheppard had let him go, flopped down into a chair near Muniz's, looking drained and highly strung. Lorne looked on edge too but, ever the good soldier, he stood silently, waiting for the right time. Sheppard clapped his second-in-command on the shoulder and said, reassuring himself too,

"It's gonna be fine. We're all getting hitched today if I have do this damn thing myself."

Lorne nodded. "Yes Sir. Still nerve-wracking though."

"Relax, Lorne, where's Jennifer gonna go?"

McKay piped up, "She could always use a puddle jumper... and Carson's got that ATA gene... and Elizabeth could go with them... and our daughters... and Jeannie. Rats. My sister doesn't know anything about off-world protocol..." The Physicist put his head in his hands, considering the concept as Sheppard inwardly blanched. The full Colonel retorted, none too convincingly,

"Neither do you. Now shut up. You talk a lot shit sometimes, Meredith."

McKay looked stunned for a moment. "Likewise, Captain Kirk."

The 'gate coming to life, the shield instantly activating, startled them out of their worries, and as the security team readied their guns, Muniz called, glancing up at Sheppard, "It's SG-1's IDC, Sir."

Sheppard released a breath he hadn't known that he'd been holding, and he said with a nod, composing himself quickly, "Let 'em through, Sergeant."

The shield disappeared and a few moments later, the figures of Cam holding Francis, Vala, Carolyn, Jonas, Teal'c, Ish'ta, Daniel holding Grace, Jack, mini-Jack, Cassie, House and Sam emerged from the active event horizon. Sheppard and Lorne as well as most of the security team instantly saluted, standing to attention. Jack, exasperated, opened his mouth to speak when Sam remarked much to his and his clone's amusement, waving dismissively,

"For the last time... at ease."

Sam shook Sheppard and Lorne's hands, asking, "How's it going?"

Lorne looked at Sheppard, who remarked, "Swimmingly so far, General." He smiled slightly. "Thanks for making it."

Glancing from McKay to him and to Lorne, she replied with a grin, "Wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Sheppard, now feeling more at ease now that Sam and the guests had made it to the City, was about to escort the guests to their designated quarters when McKay asked, sounding panicked, "Is there anything we should know about, like impending attacks from someone else you've annoyed with your ineptitude?"

Sheppard growled, "Be nice, Meredith."

Sam retorted, raising her eyebrows teasingly as they left the gateroom, "I'm hurt, Rodney... I always thought I had a certain je ne sais quoi about me." She grinned in Daniel's direction for a moment. "Not as much as _some_ people but you know... _ineptitude_ is just taking it too far. And besides, I don't qualify... totalling an entire solar system is something I've never done... although I've blown up a sun before now."

McKay glared at her as her friends looked increasingly amused. "That's _five-sixths_ of a solar system, thank you very much. Do they not know how to count in the Milky Way?"

Teal'c retorted drily, making McKay jump, "Apparently not as well as you, DoctorMcKay."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After settling Grace down for the night in an adjoining room, Sam emerged into the quarters allocated to her and Daniel, remarking with an amused smile as she went to the balcony, "It's where we made Claire and Jake."

Daniel moved closer to her, holding her in his arms as they looked out at the night view that lay before them, and he kissed her neck. She smiled and kissed him gently, saying as she gazed up at him, glad that he was happy,

"Come on, let's go to bed. We've got an early start tomorrow."

She led him by the hand back into the room and he asked as they sat down on the bed, "How's Grace?"

She smiled as he held her in his arms once again, replying as she rested her head on his shoulder, "Just fine... out like a little lamp. She loves Francis, Charlotte, Helen and Samantha." Her smile faded into one of wistfulness. "I just wish the others could be here. They would have loved to have been here."

He kissed her forehead. "Maybe one day."

She smiled and they lie down together, the Archaeologist dimming the lights, and she whispered as they snuggled under the blankets together, "I feel so much better today."

He smiled against her hair. "Me too. We're going to be ok. We're going to be fine... working together, and bringing up our beautiful little gems together."

She remarked with a grin, "You must be feeling better if you're calling them gems."

"Well, they are." He kissed her. "If I could do all this again, go through everything we have, knowing what I do now, I would never change a thing." She smiled, touched at his words. "Because, even without Sophia, you are my other half... my only reason to keep on living and fighting... with the knowledge that I have you and hopefully always will."

She remarked, her voice a little hoarse from emotion as she smiled at him, touching his lips and running her fingers through his hair in the dark, "You're not going to be that lucky tonight, Daniel... one: we need to sleep, two: we'll wake Grace or anyone else, and three: something could go wrong considering our post-natal states."

He smiled at her, ever so slightly embarrassed as he whispered, "You know that I could do better than that if I wanted to seduce you."

She kissed his nose. "Fortunately, I do... and believe me, you don't need to seduce me... you never have."

They kissed and she whispered somewhat anxious as he held her tighter, their bodies intimate, "What am I going to do tomorrow?"

He remarked, touching her cheek affectionately, "What you do every day... be yourself."

"But I've never married anyone like that... and it's a freakin' mass marriage."

He chuckled, kissing her cheek in order to calm her as he felt her growing anxiety. "And you'll ace it. Besides, it's only three weddings."

"Only?!"

"Calm down, honey."

"How can I? The last time these people even contemplated getting married, they..."

He played with her hair. "Nothing's going to happen."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"My necklace is missing."

Elizabeth and Carson looked at a panicked Jennifer, and Carson asked, "Which necklace would that be then?"

Jennifer, sniffing back tears as she ran her fingers through her hair, replied, frantically looking through the drawers of hers and Lorne's quarters, "My Mom's... she sent it when I told her that Evan and I were getting married. My grandma gave it to her on her wedding day."

Carson frowned slightly. "Wait, she knows about the City?"

"Uh... no, the cover story... linguist for the Air Force thing."

Elizabeth asked softly, "What does it look like?"

Just then a fair-haired toddler, Helen, rushed in, squealing as she said, grabbing her mother's legs, "Mommy!!"

As Jennifer looked down, surprised as well as concerned, Lorne appeared in the doorway, remarking, "The little lady got your Mom's necklace."

He nodded in greeting to Elizabeth and Carson before quickly entering and grabbing his daughter, swinging her up in the air as she squealed. Glancing at Jennifer, he looked down at the giggling girl in his arms and remarked,

"For the last time, little lady, can I have Mommy's necklace?"

Helen giggled, shaking her head, and Lorne sighed before saying to his fiancée, "Ok, I'll hold her, you grab the necklace."

Jennifer, now amused as Elizabeth and Carson smirked, attempted to undo the clasp on the gold chain that hung around the little girl's neck, but Helen squirmed and giggled, impeding the task. Jennifer looked at Lorne worriedly, and the Lieutenant Colonel glanced at the back of his daughter's neck before saying, pointing to the others,

"Look, it's Auntie Elizabeth and Auntie Carson."

Helen, distracted, said, beaming, "Auntie Ca'son!" Lorne took the opportunity to deftly undo the clasp, quickly sliding the necklace off and giving it to Jennifer, who kissed him in gratitude. He smiled at her as she said,

"Thanks, Evan."

He remarked, amused at his daughter's antics, "Much obliged, ma'am." He stooped to kiss her as Helen talked a mile a minute to a stunned Carson. "Twenty years of active service culminated in that. But it was so worth it."

Elizabeth remarked, still smirking, "I'm impressed."

They all looked at Helen, who was still talking to Carson, and Lorne, shooting a teasing smile at his fiancée, said, "She's easily distracted like Mommy... an incessant talker too."


	27. Build Up Part II

House stood in the Sick Bay of the City, watching it with a shrouded fascination, occasionally reaching for his cane reflexively before remembering that he wasn't lame any more. He exhaled on one such occasion, wondering whether he actually wanted to be in his present situation. He frowned. No-one had asked him whether he wanted to be healed. It had just happened as part of some goodwill gesture.

That puzzled him. Why did the General take such a liking of him time after time? Even after her husband had hit him, she still treated him nicely.

Nice.

Nice was far from nice. Nice was unsettling.

It was easier when people were nasty, spiteful or jaded when it came to him, because at least he knew where he stood, and how to deal with outbursts of such emotions and behaviours. In such cases, it was usually suppressed sexual desire, jealousy, hatred, Daddy issues... or the fact that he was essentially an ass.

Painfully sympathetic was, in his experience, from guilt and/or the subject struggling to deal with feelings of a romantic or sexual nature.

Niceness... genuine niceness, on the other hand, was something that he had no idea how to handle. The General evidently cared for him, but it wasn't a crush as it had been with Cameron. She was never afraid to take him on, but not wearily or with some guilt like Cuddy.

She was a contradiction. Military, caring, loving, powerful, angry, compassionate, protective, gentle, courageous...

People were multi-faceted but she was so much more than that. More importantly, and more crucially, he couldn't get a handle on her... he couldn't work her out.

Everyone had motives... reasons for specific behaviour in certain situations.

But what was her motive for being... well, nice to him? He wasn't stupid... she wasn't attracted to him.

As he frowned in thought, taking in also the fact that he was currently standing in a galaxy thousands if not millions of light years from his own, it suddenly hit him.

She had no motive.

That realisation unsettled him. She had no motive, no reason to be nice. With no reason, she could be anything to him.

And that scared him.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Carson, taking the casual point of view in _not_ getting ready for her wedding five hours in advance, wandered into the Sick Bay, and found the strange new doctor from Earth, standing... or leaning rather against a gurney and frowning. The Atlantis medical officer remarked, leaning against the same gurney,

"Penny for your thoughts, doctor?"

House appeared to be shaken out of his thoughts, and Carson continued with a grin and a little wave, "Welcome back."

House cocked his head as he watched Carson, and he said gruffly, "You're the doctor who used to be a man."

Carson smiled, looking down in awkwardness. "Nice."

She continued, looking back up at House, "Anyway... you look busy... thinking."

He shrugged, and she said, "Well, it must be different... whole new galaxy. Aye, I remember first coming here... well, when _he_ first came here..."

He looked confused. "You're a schizophrenic!?"

She shook her head, a distant smile on her face. "Not quite." A wistful expression on her face, she looked at House. "Did Sam not explain it to you?"

When he looked at her blankly, she continued with sigh, making a mental note to tell Sam to forgo being thoughtful for once, "Well... in short, Carson Beckett was a living, breathing man from Aberdeen, with a mam... an on-off girlfriend... and then a cushy job of daily medical improvisation in another galaxy with a small group of close friends." She sighed. "Then... he dies _stupidly_ moving a container that contains an explosive tumour. He's given a hero's funeral here and on Earth... and buried next to his dad. Meanwhile, a plucky wee three-footer from the Ida galaxy who was supposed to be on our side, was experimenting with cloning and made me." She looked down at her hands. "So... when I say _he_ I'm referring to the great Carson Beckett who I can't even hold a candle to. I may have his memories, his feelings, his skills... his voice to a certain extent, but I am _not _him. Never in a million years will I ever be as brilliant as he was."

House watched her for a long moment, perturbed at yet another person opening up to him, and he said eventually, "Well... I highly doubt that he would have given birth."

Nothing was said for a long moment and then Carson chuckled. She shook her head, now smiling as she remarked, looking at him, "Oh Sam was right... you are a character."

House frowned a little. "So... you and... the General... you're pretty close."

Carson smiled, looking down again. "Yeah. She's been great... I named my little girl after her." She looked back up at House. "Did she ever tell you that she was leading the team that found me? Completely by accident, you know. They were looking for John's team who'd got caught out by an Asgard security feature, and there I was, wandering about... certainly was a sight for sore eyes that lot." She smiled again. "I never really got to know Sam before but at that time she was in charge of Atlantis... and technically still is although at a much higher level... but we got to be pretty close. She helped me through most of the post-stress thing. Wonderful woman... if _he'd_ known her, I'm sure he would have fallen for her. Daniel's a lucky wee bugger who doesn't know quite how lucky he is."

"Sounds like someone has a crush..."

Carson chuckled quietly, and House asked, "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for your wedding?"

Carson shrugged, her smile faded. "Thought I'd take a walk to clear my head. It's a big thing, getting married..."

"Cold feet?"

She smiled ruefully. "Perhaps. I just needed to think without hearing Elizabeth and Jennifer getting all excited one minute and tearful the next... and dramatic too." She chuckled softly. "It's funny... I never thought... well, _he_ never thought, never even considered a relationship with Rodney... and here I am on the verge of getting married to the very guy. It's more than a wee unsettling in some respects... but I can't imagine life without the daft sod now."

House couldn't help but smile at the last part.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Elizabeth, feeling the need also to clear her head, decided to go to Rodney's quarters, making sure not to be spotted by her husband-to-be, in accordance to some archaic tradition that she ordinarily would have scoffed at. She found the Physicist pacing the floor of his quarters, this time alone and wearing a tuxedo, and she, already in her gown, flopped down onto his bed.

She smiled as she watched him, listening to him mumble, and her fear slipped away. She wasn't scared of marrying John per se. She had been with him too long, and they had brought up a daughter together, for the normal anxieties to take hold. No. What was scary to her was the change it could bring. They would be married, _officially_ sharing quarters... what could it mean for the rest of the City? What could it mean for her friends, the people she cared about so dearly? Would it alter how people perceived her? Would it change the way people behaved towards her? What could it mean for Charlotte?

She sighed.

She liked things how they were... how they had been. Everyone was close... like a family almost. What if it meant that they wouldn't find the time for each other now that most of them were doing the Mr and Mrs thing around their jobs?

McKay eventually noticed her presence, and he asked, looking confused when he stopped his pacing, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be getting ready and..." he finally _noticed _her and practically gawped. "Oh... you... you, um... look... uh... you look wonderful."

She smiled in embarrassment, blushing. "Thanks Rodney."

He smiled, flustered, and then he sat down next to her, hesitantly at first. He asked, glancing at her as she looked down at her hands,

"So... what's wrong? You must have come for something... um..." he glanced around the room. "... where's Jeannie?"

"She's helping Jennifer... the poor girl's had crisis and crisis. Helen robbed her last night."

He chuckled briefly. "I heard... looks like that space pirate from the Milky Way's contagious."

She smiled. "Oh... don't say that... seriously. Charlotte's going to be tricky enough like her Dad without picking up kleptomaniac tendencies from her. She's a nice person though... very friendly."

He nodded. "Yeah. So..." he looked at her pointedly as she looked down once again. She sighed.

"I don't know Rodney. It just feels like everything's changing." She glanced at him. "If we do this... it will never be like it was before. We'll each be spending more time with... you know... and... and Teyla and Ronon will be the only constants... but then Teyla's got that on-off thing with Kanan."

He smiled slightly. "I'm led to believe that that's as volatile as Sam said Teal'c and Ish'ta's relationship is. Those alien warrior types..."

"That's a pretty big generalisation."

"But it's getting to be one big intergalactic cliché after another." He exhaled, leaning his head back, and she said, a little ashamed,

"Oh dear... all this worrying about changes and I didn't stop to think how all of this would affect you... How are you feeling?"

He replied, looking frazzled, "Incredibly nervous... you won't believe just how nervous I am." He gestured with his hands briefly but frantically. "I'm marrying my best friend. She used to be a 'he' but not in the traditional sense." He ran his fingers through his hair quickly. "I can't even tell Jeannie... she'd freak."

She asked, concerned as she touched his shoulder, "Are you still awkward about it?" She remarked with a brief smile, "It's a little late now... you've obviously got rather close."

He looked down instead of issuing a crushing rebuke, and he replied, looking at her, "I'm not... I love her. As weird as it sounds, I love Carson Beckett. I'm just being all panicky... but I'm worried for her too... I mean, we can't go to see her Mom." He shrugged. "I don't do parents... hate them in fact, but I remember Carson's Mom at the funeral. She was... an amazing woman." He sighed as he looked down at his hands. "I just want her to be happy... and I know she isn't because she can't go back to Aberdeen. It's not the clearance thing because General _MacGyver_ and Sam both offered... several times... it's that I don't think she'll be able to handle her mother rejecting her."

She put a comforting arm around him and he eventually leaned into her embrace. She rubbed the top of his back soothingly and said softly, feeling sad at Carson's situation, "It's going to work out, Rodney. Carson just doesn't think she's our Carson... she needs to believe that first then she'll be strong enough to face her mother. And you know what? She's lucky because she has you, and you've come such a long way since I first met you." She smiled slightly as he rested his head on her shoulder, her fingers slowly running through his hair as she remembered how selfish, arrogant and ego-centric he had been.


	28. Getting Down on it

As Francis slept in a nearby bed, his mother in particular not wanting him out of her sight, Cam wrapped his arms around Vala as she wearily buried her face in his chest. He kissed her hair and whispered,

"It's just today, and then we can go home and be with our Sam again." He kissed her. "You're gonna be just fine, you'll see."

She sniffed in his embrace. "I won't be. I can't do this... I'm a horrible mother. How could I agree to our Samantha being left in another galaxy?" She began to cry and he, concerned, kissed her again, saying,

"Hey now, hush up. You're a great Mom. It's just this thing you're going through... the same thing you went through after having Francis. You got through that and you're gonna get through this. As for our Sam... it sucks but you and I both know that she's safer on Earth than here." He caressed her back tenderly and asked, "Do you want some breakfast? We could see if Grace's awake. She always seems to cheer you up."

She smiled as she hugged him. "That's because she reminds me a lot of Daniel... you just know she's going to break hearts as she grows up." She chuckled as he ran his fingers through her hair. "James is the most like Daniel though... he'll be breaking the most hearts throughout his life."

"A l'il charmer like his Dad, huh?"

"Yeah." She groaned in discomfort, and he, concerned, said as he gazed down at her,

"Hey... you could have a lie-in. No-one would mind... they'd all understand 'cos you had a baby recently. Go back to sleep, baby, and I'll wake you up for the reception."

She shook her head. "No... I'm going to make it. I've just got to muster the energy to get up. I'll be fine." She groaned again and sat up slowly as he followed suit, concerned nonetheless. "You know, I'm glad in a way that Qetesh did what she did... otherwise I would be married to someone far less interesting... like Tomin, and have dozens of children." She groaned. "I love children but I do not love the way they come into existence."

He gazed at her for a long moment, his head cocked in thought, and he remarked, seriously considering for once a suggestion Daniel had made a while back. "How about when Jonas gets to doing the Junior thing..." She looked at him in surprise and he shrugged with a cheeky smile. "Might as well help you get all those kiddies."

She laughed and said as he hugged her, "That would be..." she paused and looked at him in concern. "It's not going to be all sunshine and lollipops."

He rolled his eyes. "When has it ever been that?"

"Good point." She sighed. "Can we talk about this again when Samantha's at least Francis' age... or a lot older?"

"Sure, baby." They kissed. "You feeling better?"

She nodded as he put an arm around her, and she replied with a mischievous grin, "Better enough to do something naughty in the bathroom before Francis wakes up."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Outside Grace's part of the Jackson quarters, Vala passed a giggling Francis to Cam, taking the Colonel's security card to unlock the door. She stood on tiptoe to kiss her husband and Francis called in a soft lilt resembling his father's,

"Mommy... where you goin'?"

Vala smoothed his cheek and said, "Wait with your father... I'm getting Grace."

The little boy beamed. "Gracie! I wanna go!"

"No you don't."

Cam smiled as he distracted their son and Vala entered the room, closing the door behind her. She stood for a moment, watching her niece sleep and thinking about her own daughter, so many thousands of light years away. She quickly brushed away a tear and went to peek into the adjoining room. Seeing that both Sam and Daniel were fast asleep, and apparently naked under their sheets, she smiled and silently closed the door between the rooms before turning back to Grace. She kneeled at the girl's bedside and stroked her fair hair, whispering,

"Grace."

Grace woke up with a whimper, and Vala caressed her cheek. "Ssh, sweetheart."

Grace stared up at her with frown before asking, "Auntie Va'a?"

Vala smiled affectionately at the little girl. "Do you want to have breakfast with Francis?"

"'kay."

Vala picked her up, and Grace asked, "Where's Mommy?"

"Your mother and father are asleep." Vala put a finger to her lips. "Sshh."

Grace smiled shyly. "Sshh."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Cam smiled slightly as he sat in the Mess with his wife, son and niece, watching Vala look so alive and happy as she interacted with Grace as Francis talked a mile a minute as he ate at his father's side. The Colonel, wistful still that his daughter couldn't be with them, smoothed the back of his son's head, and continued to smile as he watched Vala.

The Mitchells looked up on seeing Teal'c and Ish'ta, looking rather the worse for wear from their latest argument, and they smiled and nodded. Cam asked as Ish'ta stormed off to another table,

"T... what's up with you and Xena?"

Teal'c replied humourlessly, "The usual is... _up_, ColonelMitchell."

Francis beamed up at the Jaffa, calling, "Uncle Teal!"

Cam and Vala chuckled, looking down to hide their amusement as Grace looked up at Teal'c, smiling, and Teal'c, his cold demeanour melting, patted the heads of both children with a fatherly smile before leaving to have the next round with Ish'ta.

Vala, smirking, raised an eyebrow at an amused Cam, remarking quietly, "So much for the rumoured ability of travel to clear one's head."

"Well, it's Hercules and Xena all over again. Do you think T's popped the question yet?"

She smiled, glancing back at Teal'c and Ish'ta trying to keep their argument quiet. "Oh... I think he did, and she's questioning his motives."

He shook his head slightly and then reached over to squeeze her hand, some concern on his face. She nodded reassuringly, "I'm fine, Cameron." She looked down affectionately at the Jackson next to her. "Grace was just regaling me with fine stories about... um..." She and Cam chuckled as Grace smiled, feigning innocence.

"This seat taken?"

The Mitchells looked up, seeing Jack, House, Ronon, Jonas and Carolyn greet them as mini-Jack moodily stood at the side of their table. Cam and Vala exchanged a glance and then Grace said, beaming,

"L'il 'ncle Y'ak!"

Vala remarked with a smile, "Well, I think that's a 'yes', young man."

Mini-Jack sat on the other side of Grace from Vala, putting his tray down on the table a little harder than was necessary, and Cam asked, "Moody much?"

Mini-Jack raised his eyebrows. "No. Far from it."

Vala remarked, looking at the younger man pointedly, "Misappropriating the truth is neither helpful nor is it necessary."

Mini-Jack bobbed his head with a sigh and held Grace's hand as she looked up at him with an angelic smile. He looked as though he was choosing his words, and then he said quietly, "I'm... I'm thinking of moving out of the country."

Cam and Vala simultaneously exclaimed as Francis and Grace slipped from their seats and under the table, running out on seeing Helen and Charlotte, "What?!"

"Sshh. I don't want everyone hearing me."

Cam asked in a hushed voice, worried, "What the hell are you doing?"

Mini-Jack replied, concentrating on cutting up his eggs, "You can call it running if you want... I've been offered a job. Coaching..." Cassie greeted them and mini-Jack hung his head, concentrating solely on his food. Sensing the heavy mood that had befallen the others, she asked after sitting down next to Cam, sipping her orange juice,

"What's up?"

Vala replied, looking entreatingly at Cam, "He's going."

Cassie looked at Cam in surprise, and Vala continued, gesturing to mini-Jack, "Not him... _him._"

Cassie asked, looking at mini-Jack and noting his sullen mood, "Jack?"

Mini-Jack remarked, still not looking up as he put his cutlery down, frustrated, "Oh fer cryin' out loud..." He snapped his head up and looked straight at Cassie. "I'm only saying this once. The Vancouver Giants want me as their coach."

Cassie stared at him in shock and Cam asked, "Why the hell would you want to go to Canada?"

Mini-Jack shrugged. "The Great White North calls."

Vala, looking sad, retorted, "Well, don't listen!"

Cassie said, reaching for the clone's hand, tears in her eyes, "Jack... come on... don't go."

Mini-Jack grimaced and looked down. "There's nothing in Colorado for me any more." He glanced back at Jack flirting with Teyla as House attempted to break the ice with Ronon while Teal'c and Ish'ta silently fumed at each other. "Nothing."

Cassie asked, "What about your friends?" She looked at Cam and Vala. "We don't want you to go. Have you even told Daniel?"

He shook his head. "No point... he and his missus'll only explode at me with their Whitelighter powers." He looked around at them. "Look guys... I need to do this. It's... it's one of those things where I've got to find my own way again... as clichéd as it sounds... I need to find me again. I lost that and I've got to get that back if I ever hope to be alright again." He patted Cassie's hand and smiled slightly. "I'm going to miss you all... well, most of you."

Cam said, worried, "Hey... if this is 'cos of General O'Neill..."

"It is... and it isn't. Look... Mitchell, I know what I'm doing."

Vala, her voice wobbling with emotion, said, her hand on his shoulder, "You better do... because I'm sorely tempted to maim you right now, young man."

He placed a hand over hers, and Cam asked, "You gonna tell Jackson and Sam?"

Mini-Jack grimaced. "I guess I'll have to. Just not yet... ok?" They each nodded, and he said with a sigh, "It's gonna be stressful enough for Carter as it is with the triple shebang." He glanced around. "Speaking of which..."

Vala replied with a small smile, "It's still rather early... and those two did the dirty last night."

Cam cleared his throat as he looked down at the table in embarrassment, mini-Jack laughing in disbelief. "Get out!"

"Seriously."

Cassie blushed, remarking awkwardly, "Come on Vala... some people are having breakfast."

Cam smiled slightly as he watched the younger woman and he glanced at his wife, who smiled back. Not missing anything, mini-Jack pointed at Cassie with his fork teasingly, "You're just upset 'cos grump ass didn't give blondie clearance yet."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam sighed with a smile on her face as she woke up in Daniel's firm embrace, feeling totally and utterly at peace despite being worried about the upcoming weddings. She peeked under their blankets and couldn't help but giggle quietly. The arm around her shifted and she felt his lips on her shoulder and then her neck. She turned over to grin at him as he smiled at her a touch sleepily, propping himself up on an elbow as he gazed down at her.

She remarked, raising her eyebrows briefly, "So much for _not_ doing it."

"Yup."

They kissed good morning, and he asked her, glancing at the clock, "Do you want to sleep some more? We've still got another hour or so before it's imperative to be up."

She nodded and remarked, turning to hug him as she closed her eyes, "I'd love to... really... but I've got too many responsibilities... and I'd never forgive myself if I overslept. Nothing worse than them all being lined up and ready, and I come running in like Ferris Bueller."

He laughed softly and she asked him, touching his jaw as she gazed up at him, "So... how are you feeling?"

He smiled at her gently, replying as he played with her hair, "Miles better. You?"

"The same." She stroked his shoulder and said, "Come on, my Archaeologist. We've got things to..." Before she could complete her sentence, a squealing toddler ran in and she grabbed a t-shirt as Daniel covered his lower half with the blankets as he pondered many questions... chiefly where his boxers had got to.

When Grace had come to the side of the bed, Sam lifted the little girl up and hugged her tightly, saying with a grin, "Gracie... what's the matter?"

Grace replied breathlessly, her features flushed, "Franci' runned after me."

The Jacksons worriedly glanced at the door from which Grace had come, and Grace continued, "'ncle Cam tolded him off tho'." What followed was a stream of babble that had even Daniel scratching his head as Sam quietly albeit affectionately remarked,

"Spoken like a true Jackson."

Daniel asked, amused at the cheeky glint in Sam's eyes, "Have you had your breakfast?"

Grace looked about to shake her head and then she nodded instead, replying, "I alre'dy eatened wi' 'ncle Cam an' Auntie Va'a an' Franci' an' l'il 'ncle Yak... an' Cassie."

Sam smiled at the little girl and gently kissed the tip of her nose before saying, kissing the top of her head as she held her in her arms, "Come on sweetie, we've got to get ready for the wedding."

Grace nodded and Daniel asked, pouting as Sam fought with herself not to laugh out loud, "Can't Daddy hold you, Gracie?"

Grace watched him as she rested her head on her mother's shoulder, and she whispered, looking reluctant to move, "Mommy's nicer." She then grinned, and, as Sam laughed, Daniel remarked,

"You cheeky little thing. Come here."

Sam glanced at Daniel with a smile as she passed Grace to him, and she said with a soft sigh, "I miss them."

Knowing what she meant, he nodded, kissing Grace's forehead as she looked ready to fall asleep against his shoulder. "I know. I'd give anything for Greg to pee over my shoulder now."

Sam laughed, remarking, "Jake... and James used to do that. It never happened when _I _changed their diapers."

"Well... they've got Jack's sense of humour. I'm sure he's considered peeing on me just to see the look on my face. That would be typical."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam, feeling nervous but also feeling Daniel mentally hug her, stood in front of the inactive 'gate in dress blues, the grooms lined up to one side with the guests standing behind them as well as on the other side. As the Bridal March began, she smiled slightly on seeing Teal'c and Ish'ta standing either side of a crowd of guests – the position mandated by an exasperated old General on hearing the insults the two had been trading back and forth the entire morning.

She nodded in greeting at the latest arrivals to the City – Uncle George, General Landry, Mr Woolsey, the older and younger Daniels from alternate timelines, the SG-1 from the alternate future as well as the Cammie and James from that timeline, and an Athosian delegation. She smiled at Daniel before her eyes, and everyone else's, moved to the brides entering the gateroom. Her hands clasped in front of her, she waited for the brides to stand opposite their grooms, a smile never leaving her face.

When the music had faded, the brides and grooms smiling at each other as they held hands, Sam began, glancing down at her notes once in a while, "We are gathered here today for the weddings of Colonel John Alexander Sheppard and Doctor Elizabeth Charlotte Ann Weir; Lieutenant-Colonel Evan Michael Lorne and Doctor Jennifer Keller; Doctors Meredith..." she paused at the ripple of laughter from the guests and Sheppard as McKay shot her a deathly glare from reneging on a promise, and she continued with a fading smirk, "... Doctors Meredith Rodney McKay, and Carson Beckett." She paused and was about to continue when a series of beeping noises sounded.

Sheppard looked ready to utter an expletive as Muniz rushed to his console, saying as Sam didn't hesitate in leaving her position, "Ma'am... sensors show a large number of Genii ships approaching."

Everyone looked at each other, concerned, and Sheppard remarked, "Gatecrashers?"

Sam said, grimacing a little as she looked over Muniz's shoulder, "They're powering weapons." She frowned suddenly. "Wait, they're hailing us."

House muttered to Jack next to him, "_Hailing_?"

Jack replied, looking mildly perturbed, "Oh, a lot of Star Trek in this job."

A voice crackled from the console, "Surrender the City and you will not be harmed. As the rightful heirs to technology in this galaxy, we claim the City as ours."

Sam replied, switching her headset on, "Acastus Kolya, I believe."

"With whom do I have the pleasure of talking?"

"General Samantha Jackson."

"Ah... another woman in charge. You Earth-born humans are so weak and foolish."

Sam frowned. "What are you doing here? Why are you attacking the City?"

"You have no reason to be here. Leave this galaxy."

"We can settle this diplomatically."

"No... the time for diplomacy has gone. You have the most powerful source of energy in the entire Universe at your disposal. We do not know how, but we know that the Duality destroyed the Wraith and the Asurans. It will only be a matter time before you destroy us with this weapon. Therefore we are taking the City... but first we have to remove you."

She looked worriedly at Daniel. '_He can't know who Jake and Claire are..._'

_'No... he seems to think it's a weapon... like the Super Weapon on Dakara.'_

"I'm going to give you one more chance to leave." She raised her hands but then put them down again, feeling guilty about not being on a level playing field, and Acastus replied scornfully,

"Or what? You will commit genocide? I highly doubt that you will. Now please leave the City through the Stargate."

Sam pressed a button to end the radio transmission and she sighed, considering her options. Throwing her jacket off, she walked up to a stunned Daniel and kissed him, smoothing Grace's cheek before looking at Cam. Seeing Vala hold his hand, she closed her eyes briefly and then looked at Jack.

"Come on Jack... it'll be like old times."

The old General nodded and was about to leave with her when Daniel said, grabbing her by the arm, "Sam, no."

She mentally hugged Grace and replied, looking straight into his eyes, "I have to, Daniel."

As he looked at her, forlorn, she called to mini-Jack and Ferretti, "You too, Jack... Ferretti. Let's get this show on the road, boys."

Sheppard and Lorne immediately volunteered but Sam shook her head. "No. Stay here. You're not risking your lives on your wedding day." She looked at Uncle George. "Uncle George... if... if I don't come back... it's your show."

He nodded sadly and she sprinted after the others, Daniel calling silently,_ 'Sam!'_

_'Being General isn't a walk in the park, Daniel. I love you... and I'm coming back. We're not going to be bullied out of the City the Genii, splinter group or otherwise.'_

Daniel closed his eyes to stem the flow of oncoming tears. '_Good luck._'


	29. Defiance

Right after Sam and her hand-picked team had left, Sheppard, Lorne and Cam kissed their other halves and children, and then Sheppard remarked, "Like hell are we letting her do this by herself."

Cam retorted, taking his jacket and cap off, "Ditto." He caressed Vala's cheek as she whispered, holding Francis,

"Good luck."

Daniel said as he held Grace in his arms, "Sam wants to give them a choice."

Lorne, rather uncharacteristically, retorted, "And you're just going to let her? Come on Doc... you and I both know that Kolya isn't going to listen."

Sheppard added grimly, "And besides, he and I have a little score to settle."

Nodding at Uncle George and Landry briefly but not asking their permission, the two Colonels and Lieutenant Colonel ran out, and Daniel closed his eyes briefly, hearing Sam's voice in his head. He then went to Uncle George.

"Uncle George." He gave Grace to the retired General as the Ascended SG-1, Cammie and James, and Daniels converted into energy and soared. "... Sam says Emergency Manoeuvre Delta on first strike."

Uncle George asked, worried, "What are you doing, son?"

"I'm going to take advantage of being human."

The retired General, seeing the once familiar defiance and determination in Daniel's eyes, nodded. "Godspeed."

Cassie asked, worried, "Emergency Manoeuvre Delta?"

Uncle George replied quietly, looking at where Daniel had gone and where Teal'c and Jonas were going, and then down at Grace's head on his shoulder, "Evacuation."

0o0o0o0o0o0

The Colonels reached the Jumper bay of the City at a skidding halt. Sheppard remarked as they entered it,

"Dress blues should be easier to run in... considering that we are in fact soldiers."

They were thrown onto their backs by an unseen force, all three grimacing as Cam exclaimed, "Dammit... those Ancient forcefields!"

Sheppard activated his radio headset. "Jackson! Your wife's stopping us from getting into the Jumper bay."

A moment later, Cam threw a zat at where the forcefield had been and shielded himself with an arm as a precautionary measure but then looked surprised when it didn't bounce back. He called into his own headset, "Way to go!"

Lorne remarked as they finally entered the bay, "At least we got to the start of the ceremony this time."

Cam replied as Sheppard pressed some buttons on a console, "That's always good... Sam would say something about temporal progression or something... so next time, you might actually get married."

Sheppard retorted as Lorne smiled briefly, "That would be a miracle... considering."

They shook hands, all smiles and humour gone, a common understanding, a shared sense of duty between each of them. Cam inclined his head,

"Let's whup some ass, men."

"All for one and... all that. Let's roll."

0o0o0o0o0o0

"And for what purpose do you wish to reason with me? Leave this City immediately or I will be forced to fire upon you... and that will indeed be a sorrowful affair." Kolya sneered from the viewscreen of Sam's Jumper. "... for to kill such a beautiful woman... ah, it is a crime in itself."

Jack retorted from behind her, "And what would be even more sorrowful is your people picking your bits out of the stars once her husband hears that."

Sam said, her eyes cold, "We don't have the Duality."

Kolya winked. "Oh yes you do. Your concealment is a means to entice me." He frowned. "If you wished to truly reason with me, you would not have come here to do so. You would have done so from Atlantis, therefore I have reason to believe that you will attempt to fire upon us." He laughed scornfully. "... from your pitiful craft."

Mini-Jack grimaced. "I'm not the brightest bulb in the Christmas tree, but I think this flashing light means that cliché-boy and his cronies are powering their weapons."

Sam glanced down and then said, looking up at Jack, "Jack, take the reins. I'm going to acquaint his head with an airlock."

Before he could even react, she disappeared from the chair in a flash of bluish-white light as mini-Jack and Ferretti simultaneously swore, Jack stunned for a moment before quickly taking her seat.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Now piloting a Jumper, Sheppard soared through the Lantaean sky and atmosphere with Cam and Lorne stood behind him. Within minutes, they had reached space, seeing Sam's Jumper and an array of Genii ships around it. Without a word, Sheppard narrowed his eyes and flew straight at each ship, instinctively performing complicated evasive manoeuvres at the last minute, firing upon each one using the craft's drone weapons.

Cam remarked quietly as he and Lorne watched the explosions, and held on for dear life, "What I wouldn't do for an F-302 right about now."

Lorne replied with a tight smile, "It's a peaceful expedition, Sir."

"Right... how many wars have you had since you've been here?"

"Nowhere near as many as SG-1 has had, Sir."

Their attention was suddenly drawn back to the present situation when the entire craft shook from a blast, Sheppard swearing as he forced himself to concentrate. Cam said,

"Sheppard!"

"Aft thrusters are shot... shields are next. The bastards."

"Right..." Cam glanced at Lorne. "Any idea how to work the maintenance console? I've never worked with a Jumper before."

Lorne nodded as he made his way to one side of the craft, near Sheppard's seat. "Yes Sir. What do you want to do?"

"Reroute auxiliary power and fifty percent of life support to the shields and weapons."

Lorne grimaced. "With all respect Sir, that's rather ambitious. No-one here's an engineer."

Cam rolled his shirt sleeves up as he focussed on what he was going to do. "My CO is... picked up a few things from her over the years." When Lorne nodded, activating a panel on the wall, he continued with a small grimace, "And my wife."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Mini-Jack exclaimed as he paced the floor behind the pilot's chair aboard Sam's Jumper, "Only a freakin' Jackson would beam over like that. I'm surprised she isn't dead yet!"

Jack said, concentrating on keeping the vessel invisible from the other ships, "Come on..." He paused. "She's died a couple of times. Now can it and have faith in the girl."

Mini-Jack muttered obscenities to himself and Ferretti, leaning against the back of Jack's seat, asked, peering out through the viewscreen at the scene before them in surprise, "Is that..."

On seeing a Jumper weaving through the other ships, firing and dodging most of the blasts aimed at it, Jack said as mini-Jack stopped to follow their gazes, "Yep. It's Sheppard. I was beginning to think he wasn't joining the party." They watched as the craft sustained damage from some blasts that it couldn't avoid.

"Snowflake's chance in hell of that happening."

Kolya's ship moved and the men grimaced, trying not to think of the worst, and Jack activated the communications device. "Sheppard, fall back! That's an order. Carter's with Kolya."

Cam's voice called back, "Whose idea was that?!"

"Whose do you think? Damage report."

"Aft thrusters are gone and shields are almost meeting the Reaper, Sir. Attempting to work some Carter magic."

Jack smiled briefly. "Copy that." Jack squeezed the gelatinous part of the Ancient console in front of him. "Hang tight." The Jumper swerved and dived, just missing the underbelly of Kolya's ship as he concentrated on disabling the Genii's weapons, right as another ship exploded in a violent blast of light.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel, with Jonas stood next to him and Teal'c and Ish'ta guarding the doorway, was laid back in the drone chair, activating the controls at the side. Taking a deep breath as he focussed on helping his wife, he closed his eyes as yellowy-white energy surged around him. Amidst the blaze, as his friends looked on, he opened his eyes, the irises glowing a brighter cerulean as a mass of energy appeared from the ceiling. The mass descended quickly as Jonas aimed a 9 mm at it in fear, the energy appearing to lay over the Archaeologist before he absorbed it, his eyes turning a bright blue-grey and then back to cerulean as he focussed in cold fury.

0o0o0o0o0o0

As Jack's Jumper held off most of the attacks from the other ships, Lorne, guiding Cam through the interface of the Ancient system, glanced at Sheppard's console, and what he saw surprised him. At that moment, Sheppard said, frowning, this time in surprise,

"Whoa... there's something coming from the City."

Cam, distractedly, asked as he worked on rewiring a conduit and pressing buttons, "The chair?"

"That ain't the chair. Take a look."

Cam, wiping the sweat from his brow, turned to look out of the viewscreen and he gaped as a white energy wave emanated from the Lantaean surface, engulfing their surroundings. As they all instinctively shielded their faces with their arms, Sheppard called,

"Do you think it's Jackson?"

Cam shrugged. "No idea... I don't think he's _that_ powerful and he's a pacifist... although not when it comes to Sam."

They watched as the ships simply disappeared – no explosions or signs of struggle – the white light gone. As the scene before them sank in, they all looked at each other and Cam, his stomach sinking, asked,

"What about Sam?"

Jack's voice came over the radio. "What just happened and did anyone see Carter?"

Sheppard replied, "Not a clue Sir... that energy came from the City. I think it might have been Jackson. As for the General..." he shook his head sadly, "... no Sir. I'm sorry." Lorne looked down for a moment out of respect for Sam, and Cam asked, not wanting to believe what was on the table at that present moment in time,

"Are we sure that she was on Kolya's ship?"

Jack replied, his voice sounding flat, "She wanted to acquaint his head with an airlock... her words, not mine."

0o0o0o0o0o0

The two Jumper crews returned to Atlantis with heavy hearts, glad deep down of defending the City but their relief marred at losing their friend. Quietly, they walked into the gateroom, not seeing Daniel... or Jonas, Teal'c and Ish'ta for that matter, and everyone exchanged sad looks. Sheppard asked, glancing around as he discreetly held Elizabeth's hand,

"Where's Jackson?"

Cam comforted an upset Vala as Uncle George replied, looking as anguished as over forty years of military training would allow him to be, "Daniel's still with the chair."

They all looked at each other, silently deciding who should break the news to the Archaeologist, when Jack said with a sigh, "I'll do it."

As Jack left, Jennifer said quietly, sitting down as Cassie turned away from everyone to cry privately, mini-Jack putting an arm around her shoulders, "I can't believe she's gone."

Carson, McKay's arm around her, the two of them looking shocked, replied, "Aye. Always the frigging hero."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Jack found Jonas and Teal'c helping a tired looking Daniel to stand up as Ish'ta looked on in concern. The old General helped them, remarking as he struggled to control his own emotions,

"Burning the midnight oil again, Space Monkey?"

Daniel, breathing heavily, asked, desperation in his eyes, "Did everyone make it? Where's Sam? She's not answering me."

Jack paused, trying to choose his words carefully, but Daniel picked up on Jack's emotions which had begun to leak psychically. The Archaeologist sank back into the chair, dejected as he whispered, closing his eyes,

"No."

Grief-stricken, he banged his head against the chair repeatedly, tears springing in his eyes, his voice louder. "No... no... no!" Jack, his chest hurting on seeing Daniel in so much pain, kneeled on the floor beside the chair, grabbing the Archaeologist's hand as Teal'c, Ish'ta and Jonas kneeled down on the other side, Teal'c taking Daniel's other hand firmly.

Jack said, smoothing Daniel's hair back as the Archaeologist began to sob, "Daniel... I'm sorry. There was nothing I could do. She was aboard..." he grimaced and trailed off. Daniel's eyes opened and he said coldly,

"She was aboard what, Jack?"

Jack grimaced again. "Nothing."

Stark realisation hit the Archaeologist. He closed his eyes. "She's gone and it's my fault." He began to cry again, overwhelmingly anguished at the situation. Jack nodded at a concerned Teal'c, Jonas and Ish'ta. Taking the hint, they left, Jonas and Teal'c patting the Archaeologist's shoulder comfortingly, and Jack said quietly,

"She was going to reason with him."

After a long moment of sniffing and sobbing, Daniel whispered, "I can still feel her."

Closing his eyes briefly, Jack said with a sigh, hating himself, "She's gone, Daniel. I'm sorry. There was nothing any of us could do."

Daniel sat up, not wanting to believe a word the General was telling him. "No... I can still feel her. I know what not feeling her feels like... and this is not it!"

"Daniel..."

Daniel said, talking quickly, hope on his face, "Jack! I'm telling you! She's..."

Jack retorted firmly, "And _I'm_ telling you that she's gone." He held Daniel's gaze for a long moment. "She's gone. She was aboard Kolya's ship when the blast happened. There is no way that she could have made it... no matter stream what-sits or anything. I'm sorry."

Daniel flopped back down again, practically boneless as he closed his eyes in defeat and then opened them, staring up at the ceiling, unseeing, in a state of catatonia. He whispered,

"What am I going to tell Grace? What am I going to tell the rest of our children? Why didn't the Others help her?"

Jack held his hand tighter. "Questions and finger pointing can come later." He sighed. "Come on... you need a rest."


	30. Revenge and Retribution

Daniel curled up in the middle of their bed in their quarters, clutching her pillow as he remembered everything... not allowing himself to forget anything about the amazing, wonderful woman who had made the last seven years of his life the best ever. He had shared so much with her, had laughed and smiled a lot more than he ever had, had conceived children with her... children which she would now never see growing up.

And it was his fault... again.

This time, there was no-one to save her... no future selves or children, no time travelling aliens who had taken a liking to her, no Ancients.

The thought that the Ancients had abandoned her galled him. What of all those prophecies and legends then? Was she not important enough? Or was she less important now that she had 'done her duty' and conceived the Duality? Why had the Ascended disappeared during the fight?

He sniffed back more tears as he looked at his wedding ring and the scarab that had she had given back to him as a symbol of him overcoming incredible odds in _not_ dying when he had been killed in Ancient Egypt. Now it had become a symbol of her death, of how he hadn't thought to ask of her whereabouts before playing the hero... of how he had always found a way to hurt her and she had kept on loving him.

Heavy rain fell in torrents outside in reply to the turbulent rampage of his emotions.

He had requested that no-one break the news to Grace, the girl being so young, far younger than even he had been when he had lost his parents, younger than Sam had been when she had lost her own mother. Another reason for doing so was that he didn't want her... and the others to know how he had betrayed them, how he had lost their mother one more time.

He punched the bed in grief, screaming in rage at his own transgression, and wishing for all that he was worth that he could turn back the clock, if only to hold her one more time. He hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye to her... but then how would he unless he knew that he was going to kill her?

Closing his eyes, he disappeared through the ceiling in a burst of yellowy-white light as House entered the room, aghast at the sight, and wondering if it was anything to do with Daniel's Ancient genes.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"You did nothing! You sat back and watched! How was I to know that I was going to kill her?!"

Oma replied calmly, their surroundings an endless white, "Daniel Jackson..."

"No!" Daniel, angry, shot back, "I don't want to hear any more metaphors!" Tears ran down his cheeks. "She was my only reason to keep on going, to keep on fighting. Without her..." his voice broke with intense emotion, "... I'm nothing."

He looked around himself, shouting at the Others, knowing that they were watching even if he couldn't see them, "I thought you were allowed to interfere now! Or was it a day off?!" He raised his hands, glowing white and yellow light surging in the palms as his eyes narrowed.

Oma, now looking ever so slightly disturbed, looked to her left, seconds before Jacob appeared. Daniel whispered, his hands immediately dropping, "I'm sorry." He closed his eyes tightly and sank to his knees, overwhelmed and consumed by a powerful grief that he had never known before.

Jacob kneeled down in front of him and pulled him into a vigorous hug. The older man whispered, "She's not gone, Danny."

Daniel sniffed. "I know... she's always going to be a part of me." He sobbed. "I want her back... I'd do anything to have her back right now." His voice broke again. "Why didn't anyone save her? Why couldn't I save her? Why didn't I know that she was aboard Kolya's ship?"

As raindrops of different coloured light fell down around them, Jacob whispered, rubbing Daniel's back and the back of his head, "She never left you. Just remember that. It'll become clearer soon."

Daniel nodded, his eyes downcast, and when Jacob had let him go, he touched his son-in-law's cheek. The younger man looked at him again and Jacob said, sadness in his eyes,

"You'll be able to put it all in perspective."

"I don't want to. Sam's not someone you can put into perspective. She's so much more than that."

Jacob smiled sadly. "What I wouldn't give to be human again and to truly experience you as my son-in-law. You're the only one of Sam's men that I ever approved of, the only one that loves her the way she deserves."

Daniel sniffed back tears and Jacob said, touching his cheek again, "Go home, Daniel. I can't promise you anything other than the fact that you'll feel better soon. Your children and your friends need you. Sam would want you to be there for my grandchildren. They're all so young."


	31. Discovery

Blue stretched as far as she could see, interspersed by white patches. She blinked and then came the realisation that she could move. She sat up from her reclining position and looked around herself in confusion. She was in the middle of a large expanse of what appeared to be... yellow... with a different albeit moving blue in the distance. Quite what it was, was beyond her, but she knew that it had to be something other than just colours.

_'Colour is an abstract notion, dependent on sensory perceptions.'_

A voice... a very familiar voice. She closed her eyes, trying to hold onto what she had remembered, knowing somehow that it was a way to find out more about herself.

Herself.

The questions sprouted forth in her mind... who was she? Where was she? How did she come to be here?

_'What's in a name?... A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet...'_

This time the voice was accompanied by a face. Despite not knowing anything at that moment, she couldn't help but smile, whispering unconsciously, "Daniel..." She then realised what she had said and wondered why she had said it. She repeated it a little louder, "Daniel."

Images were evoked in her head of clear blue eyes and light brown hair, of long fingers and careful hands, of kisses and melodious words. This was obviously a part of who she was... or why were memories of him becoming stronger?

Feeling physical discomfort, she lie back down with a soft thud in... the sand, wetness on her cheeks as she whispered, much to her own confusion, "No! It's my fault. I killed her." The words chilled her and she closed her eyes, thinking that her current state was some kind of punishment for killing someone. What kind of a person had she been?

More images filtered into her consciousness... strange, sometimes scary images. Explosions, fights, pain, glowing yellow eyes, the man with the blue eyes dying, preparing to die with a girl who had long light brown hair, metallic creatures, glowing and balding men, the man with the blue eyes dying in many different ways which even she knew was impossible, fair-haired children running around in the sunlight, a small fair-haired girl with hair protruding either side of her head as she climbed trees and injured... cats. Various infants at her breast. Strange people she thought that she should know but who she didn't. The blue eyed man with white hair and strange frames around his eyes. Crying. Laughter. White light. Blue light. The feeling of being left behind. Glowing blue eyes staring up at her in amongst a surge of white light.

'_Samantha... you never give yourself enough credit._'

Samantha. The word sounded alien in her mouth. What did it mean?

_'Samantha Carter, was there ever anything... between us?'_

Snippets and images came thick and fast but she didn't know what they meant, what they signified or who appeared to be speaking to her.

_'I see now what really matters... I don't know why we wait to tell people how we really feel...'_

More wetness on her cheeks and her chest began to hurt. She had no idea why, but knew somehow that it was connected to that memory of what appeared to be herself speaking to the blue-eyed man, who was wrapped in something white.

She looked around herself once again and remembered something else. The same strange people seated in a circle, a dark man with gold on his forehead holding a fair-haired child as a man that looked a little similar to the blue-eyed man held another child. She frowned and then closed her eyes, seeing quite clearly the blue-eyed man next to her, his shorts distracting her a little.

_'Samantha... will you do me the honour of being my wife?'_

She found herself smiling as she thought of that, and she whispered, "You never had to ask Daniel... you had me at 'Samantha'."

So... Samantha appeared to be a place name.

No, that didn't seem right.

An older man with sparse grey hair and a warm smile appeared in her mind. '_My Sammy... you can blow up suns but you find __**this**__ hard..._'

'_It's time to let go of the things that prevent you from finding happiness. You deserve to love someone and be loved in return..._'

_'For as long as she was alive, your mother showed me a world beyond just career and ambition. She gave my life meaning and balance. And it was my honour to love her for the short time that she was with me.'_

Sammy?

She knew that man too. Who was he? Who and what was he talking about? She closed her eyes again as she saw a fair-haired woman with shoulder length hair, smiling at her. '_I've been with you every step of the way._'

"Mom."

_'One day, you're going to show other women that they can do anything with their lives... that they don't have to sacrifice their lives to breathe in plaster. Don't let the Man put you down – you can be equal to or better than a man. You just have to work for it.'_

The fog that had shrouded her mind appeared to lift a little as she saw the same fair-haired woman kneeling in the sand, building sculptures... no... castles... with a fair-haired girl. Who were they?

_'My fair Gwenhwyfar...'_

_'Best friend, wife, team-mate and mother of my children...'_

Why was the blue-eyed man's voice louder?

_'I want to do it properly this time... with a ring.' The blue-eyed man kneeled in front of her on one knee._ '_Samantha Carter... will you marry me?_' _She was drawn to his eyes, eyes that could express any emotion, eyes that had seen so much... too much sometimes._

"Daniel."

_'Doctor Jackson, I presume? I'm Doctor Samantha Carter.'_

Whoever he was, she must have liked him... she remembered smiling... a lot.

"Daniel!"

She felt soft lips, careful and loving hands... the same blue eyes alight with mischief.

The memories rushed back, too fast for her to process totally but she welcomed it. It felt like rain.. in the desert. She sighed, her head filling with manifold and multiform emotions, sensations, memories and thoughts. The memory resurfaced of blue eyes in amongst a surge of white light, and this time, it was stronger.

The Genii.

The Duality.

Atlantis.

Something had gone wrong. She wasn't meant to be here.

So where was she?

Frowning as another memory surfaced, she reached under her shirt and pulled out two very familiar necklaces, two gold rings threaded onto one of them, one of the rings with a strange green stone attached to it. The other necklace was made of a grey metal and comprised of a chain of small grey balls attached to two grey oval shapes with a very strange symbol on them. Despite this, she felt as though she should know what the symbol was. She turned one of the shapes over to see writing on it. At first, it didn't make any sense but she found herself able to read it:

"Carter-Jackson, Samantha

456-731-479. AF

A Pos

RC."

She looked at the rings again, holding them in her palm as she tried hard to remember. She looked at the other necklace too. This was made of a different metal and was circular in shape, engraved with the image of a man carrying a staff, and a baby on his back. Around the image were the words:

"Saint Christopher  
Protect us."

She turned the... medallion over and smiled on seeing the letters:

"C.B.J"

_He had given her one of the few things he had left of his parents._

She whispered, crying once more, "Daniel."

_'Agios Christophoros. Saint Christopher. Agios is the masculine variant in Greek of the word 'good'. Interestingly enough, his day is exactly a week before your birthday.'_

She got up and smiled, taking the rings off the necklace and putting them onto the ring finger of her left hand. One more flood of memories engulfed her and she looked around herself with new eyes. She shook her head slightly, still smiling,

"Idiot. You've never done it before. No wonder I ended up here."

Looking hopeful, she closed her eyes and disappeared in a burst of bluish-white light.


	32. The Return

Daniel, now dressed in the blue jeans and shirt he had arrived in Atlantis wearing, sat on the edge of a pier outside in the Lantaean twilight, his legs dangling over the edge, his back slumped. He looked down at his wedding ring and silently reflected as he began to feel totally numb. She wasn't going to be there any more... and every time he saw his children, he would see the betrayal in their eyes, accusing him of murdering their mother, asking how he could have done it.

He didn't know what to do. What could he do?

He closed his eyes as tears ran down his cheeks, thinking of how Greg and Dani would never know their mother... or in Greg's case, father; of how Grace especially would cope without her mother, the third youngest Carter-Jackson having a special albeit unique bond with Sam out of all the Carter-Jackson children. The young woman that he had met almost two years previously had appeared well-adjusted to him not returning from being Ascended in that alternate future, but who knew what would happen now that it was her mother who wasn't in her life any more?

As he watched the rippling water and how it glowed in the waning light, he whispered, "I'd do anything to have you back, Sam... anything. I'm sorry."

"You idiot... Oh, you've had your moments, but you... you always have to surpass yourself."

Shocked and taken aback on hearing Sam's voice, he turned quickly and almost fell into the water on seeing her standing there, in her dress blues minus the jacket; what she had been wearing when she had left. He slowly stood and said, frowning at her in characteristic defiance,

"You can't be real. You're in my mind."

He closed his eyes and pulled her close, hugging her tightly as he began to cry. She, grimacing at the strength of his embrace, said, pushing at his arms,

"Whoa... it's great to be missed, but I've not been gone long."

She dried his tears as he replied, looking... and feeling as though he was in pain, "I thought you were dead... we all did. You beamed to Kolya's ship before I activated the chair. I'm sorry Sam. I'm so sorry." He hugged her again.

"Hey there." She realised then what had happened and she said in a softer tone, touching his jaw as he looked at her, "Something went wrong when you tried to merge with me to boost the chair's power." She kissed him and smiled. "Idiot. You pulled me in too far. I ended up trapped in your mind... with a major case of memory loss." She grimaced suddenly. "Ah... I wish you'd lighten up though because I'm beginning to miss me as well."

He looked at her, slowly processing what she had told him. "You're not dead?"

"No... although now I wish I went missing more often." She kissed him once again. "I'm very much alive." She smiled at him as she ran her fingers through his hair. "You saved my life again, Daniel. If it hadn't been for you, I would have been on board his ship and in the middle of beating the living snot out of Kolya. Thank you."

He looked ready to cry again when he suddenly smiled and remarked, his heart gradually feeling lighter, "This must be how you feel each time I, in Jack's words, do a Lazarus. God, I'm sorry."

She grinned at him. "Don't be." She, still feeling his pain, closed her eyes and shared her thoughts and emotions with her, healing him to a certain extent.

0o0o0o0o0o0

On entering the base, holding Daniel's hand, the General was practically jumped by her friends, after a long, long moment of stunned silence. Daniel stood back as their friends swamped her, and he smiled, still feeling hurt but gradually becoming happier as the shock wore off. Despite what had actually happened, he realised truly how close he had come to losing her again. Just as he was about to become lost in his grief and pain again but for a slightly different reason, Sam caught his eye from in amongst the scrum, and smiled.

He smiled back at her and forced himself to let go. She was back... and hopefully, for good.

_'Sam...' _He smiled again. '_You don't know how great it is to be able to do this again... I thought I wouldn't be able to, but I am... and it's great. I wish I had a t-shirt saying 'telepaths do it constantly'..._'

_'Not as great as being threatened by Jack, I can tell you. Heh, I want that t-shirt too.'_

'_We could make some... and oh yes, being threatened by Jack is the most wonderful thing in the world when you've been away unexpectedly. I just zone out and think 'I've finally come home'. Actually, to be honest, I only truly feel like that when I'm with you._'

He looked down to hide a smile on hearing Jack's voice, "... and I swear, if you ever... _ever_ do that again, I will kill you myself. Told ya Danny was contagious but oh no... you didn't listen..."

Sam retorted with a grin, embarrassed as well as happy at Jack's threat, "Jack... shut up."

As Jack looked suitably chastened, Sam's eyes on mini-Jack for a moment as Cam and Cassie held her tight, she looked around at the hopeful faces, and asked, "Well... are we getting married or are we getting married?"

Elizabeth asked, surprised, "Are you sure you want to do it? You've been... well, dead to us for a day."

Sam remarked, amused, "Daniel went on a sabotage mission without his memory. I'm good."

Carson raised an eyebrow at her. "Aye, well, we'll see about that." When Sam looked ready to object, Carson said, "You know the rules... Sick Bay first, questions later. Move it. Just 'cos the Goa'uld, the Ori,... the Replicators, the Wraith and the Asurans are gone doesn't mean that another alien species hasn't got a cracking sense of humour."

0o0o0o0o0o0

After having her identity verified, and after the weddings had been postponed until the following day, Sam, now in her pyjamas, sat in the middle of hers and Daniel's bed, holding Grace in her lap, her cheek resting against the little girl's hair as she read a story to her. When Grace yawned, turning in her mother's embrace to hold onto her sleepily, Sam kissed the little girl's forehead and whispered,

"Are you sleepy?"

Grace shook her head drowsily. "No... wanna finish."

Sam smiled. "We can finish this as I walk. You ok with that?"

Grace nodded against her mother's shoulder, whispering tiredly, "'kay."

Glancing at Daniel, who had watched mother and child from the balcony, fascinated, she said softly as she got up, holding her daughter, "So... to conclude... Goldilocks was charged for breaking and entering, and served a jail term. And the three bears successfully sued her and their locksmith, and lived happily ever after... until Mrs Bear..." She chuckled softly on seeing that Grace had fallen asleep and on hearing Daniel laugh in her head.

Putting Grace in her bed and making sure that she was alright, Sam returned to hers and Daniel's quarters, and she went to Daniel, hugging him. He held her tight and said quietly, resting his forehead against hers,

"I didn't know what to do... I was even going to zap the Ancients. I don't think I could have done it... which is probably why they didn't descend me. Dad... your Dad was rather cryptic... but I think he knew where you were. What got me about them was that I thought they hadn't done anything to save you... and they hadn't... really, because it was all me. I didn't know that then. All I could see was that I'd killed you and..." he paused, his voice getting shakier until he reined it in. "... and they didn't do anything... after all those stupid prophecies and suchlike."

She placed her finger on his lips. "Ssshh. You talk too much." She gazed up at him, meeting his still troubled gaze, and she gently kissed him. She was about to pull back when he returned her kiss, deepening it. They both smiled on feeling things that they hadn't felt recently, and she sighed, whispering,

_'Screw the weddings, let's go home.'_

_'Like that's going to happen, General Officiator. You're in high demand here... and __**here**__ especially.__'_

'_That's good... because I wouldn't want to be this highly sought after by anyone else._'

_'That definitely is a good thing.'_

They smiled even more during the embrace and when they parted, breathless, they gazed at each other, grinning. His smile eventually faded, and he touched her cheek. "I've been luckier than I deserve... really. Not only do I have you... I have you against all odds... I've had more chances than anyone else would have. I just hope I can keep you this time."

Her smile gone too, she replied with all seriousness, "Right back at ya."

She smiled again and grabbed his hand, leading him to the bed. "Come on, mon Archaeologist. We've got yet another early night before a big day... with the rather naïve supposition that we won't actually do it." She grinned as he nuzzled her neck. "How about we jump the gun?"

He smiled against her neck. "I'm all for jumping guns... getting shot is no fun at all... and unfortunately, I can say that with a heap of experience behind me." He suddenly chuckled, and she, puzzled, looked at him as he sat next to her, asking,

"What?"

He replied, shaking his head, "Ah... nothing. It's just how Mitchell swept you off your feet... and Sheppard, McKay, Teal'c, Ronon, Jonas, Jack, mini-Jack... actually, I think everyone did."

She said, looking thoughtful as she looked down at her hands, "Yeah... that was weird... great, but surreal." She sighed. "I think mini-Jack's going somewhere. I sensed something from him before... he's hiding something from us because he doesn't want to interfere with the ceremony."

He sighed too. "I know... I picked something up from him yesterday too. We'll have to ask him after the weddings. I hope he's not moving... because there's only one reason why he would and why he wouldn't tell us well in advance... this whole thing with Jack... and Sara. Of course, Sara doesn't know who mini-Jack really is so she just thinks he's Jack's surly nephew."

She nodded, glancing at him. "We wouldn't stand by if the original Jack was in trouble."

"Yeah, but Sam... he just has trouble adjusting. He's adjusted to everything else but he couldn't deal with his feelings for Sara. He's got Jack's memories up until before he tried to get into the mountain that day, and he..." He paused. "He's going to be alright. It's just hard. If he is moving, it could be the best thing to happen to him. Let's face it, the guy needs a break."

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "I guess so. I don't like the idea of him running from his demons." She both looked thoughtful and he remarked with an impish smile,

"So... where were we?"

She smiled at him warmly as she slipped her arms around his neck. "I don't know. Do you want to start again?"

He groaned. "Tortuous..." he began to nuzzle her with a smile. "... but oh so very worth every second."

She said with a happy sigh this time, "I love how we're too hot for each other. I've never had that before."

He grinned as he lay her down. "Oh... how many more times are you going to tell me that? I thought we already agreed that we're addicted to each other... well, it's so much deeper than that... more..." She rolled her eyes as he went off on a philological tangent, and she reached up, firmly pulling him down for a kiss, silencing the Archaeologist... who couldn't be happier at being silenced.


	33. The Return of Daniel's Minor Favourite

Sam, once again, stood at a podium with her back to the 'gate as the ceremony, once again, started. She became a little more relaxed on managing to actually finish the introduction on this occasion, feeling Daniel mentally hug her in an attempt to soothe her already frayed nerves. She looked around at everyone, the guests, her friends, the people she was marrying, and then was about to move onto the vows when they all heard a strange whirring noise.

The military officers serving in the Milky Way immediately brandished zats from their various dress uniforms, as the military serving in Pegasus brandished Wraith stunners. Glancing at Daniel, who raised an eyebrow, she shrugged and nodded at Ronon and Cam. Silently ordering the rest to stay, ignoring Daniel's silent protestations, and the Jacks' rather vocal ones, Sam was about leave the gateroom with Ronon and Cam; Sheppard, Lorne and the others on their heels, when a very familiar man in a brown pinstripe suit, a lighter brown trench coat and white basketball shoes appeared, raising his hands cautiously on sighting the various firearms.

Sam, after the initial shock, lowered her zat and grinned, saying, surprised, "Doctor!"

The Doctor, as Cam lowered his zat and gently pushed Ronon's stunner down, grinned back and said with a little wave, "General Jackson! Hello!"

Sam hugged him and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Attempting to be casual but then giving in to his excitement, the Doctor replied, "Oh, well... thought I'd drop by and see the big triple wedding. Wow." He looked around himself. "Atlantis. It's more amazing than I thought." He looked at her and then back at his surroundings. "And I'm pretty amazing anyway, but... wow!"

Sam, realising that everyone else was waiting, glanced at Cam and Ronon, and said with an incline of her head, "Well, come on then."

He asked, "I'm not too late, am I?"

She grinned briefly. "Like you care about punctuality."

He remarked, feigning hurt as he followed her, Cam and Ronon back into the gateroom, "I'll have you know that I'm a Time Lord. Punctuality is not necessary."

On joining the guests, who all stared at him, he waved and said with a grin tinged with embarrassment at the attention, "Hello, everyone."

Jack slapped him on the back in greeting, Teal'c nodding with a small smile as Jonas and Vala smiled, and Daniel glared politely for a moment before returning his attention to his wife. The Doctor's smile faded on noticing the look and he raised his eyebrows briefly before looking at Sam as she resumed the ceremony after checking everyone was alright.

The guests watched with bated breath as vows were exchanged, the people getting married looking increasingly on edge as the ceremony drew to a close, wondering what else could happen especially now that the Doctor had arrived. A huge cheer of relief went up when Sam said, with a relieved smile of her own,

"I now pronounce you husbands and wives..." she looked at Sheppard, Lorne and McKay with a little smile "... you may kiss your brides."

Amidst raucous cheers, applause and foot stamps, Sheppard and Elizabeth, Lorne and Jennifer, McKay and Carson, exchanged their first kisses as husbands and wives; relief and joy on every face... especially theirs.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"You know... I always thought that when I got married... I'd be wearing a kilt. Now look at me, I'm all glammed up like a lass."

At the reception following the ceremony, music, laughter and chatter all around them, Sam, amused, remarked to Carson as she leaned next to a window overlooking the Lantaean dusk,

"Well... I don't think anyone saw this coming. It suits you though."

Carson leaned over to kiss the General on the cheek. "Thanks... for everything. You were great."

Sam replied with a friendly smile, "Thanks for having me." She gently pushed the doctor and inclined her head towards McKay. "Now go and enjoy yourself."

"Aye, I probably should end Rodney's misery. He could use some extra firepower for John's taunts."

Sam chuckled as Carson gazed at her for a moment before joining her new husband, and the Doctor came over casually. Sam straightened up, guarded hope in her eyes. "So... which one are you?"

He looked at her in confusion. "Which one am I what?"

"Do you know Grace... the older one?"

Realising what she was talking about, he beamed. "I do. I... we, rather, hung out with you during your pregnancy."

Smiling nostalgically with a hint of sadness and wistfulness, she asked, "How is she?"

Watching Francis chase Grace across the room before Grace turned the tables and chased after the now squealing Mitchell, he replied, looking back at her again, "Just great. Brilliant. Fantastic as ever."

She glanced around him. "You didn't bring her."

He shrugged, his smile gone as she sensed the darkness just beneath the surface. "Well... you know how it is. I have to do this forever... travelling all over the Universe. The people... those wonderful humans who join me, they get to go off to do other things. They get to stop and enjoy the view. They get to take the slow path and do things that _I _can only dream of."

She stared at him for a moment and then said, realising, "She's going to be a mother?!"

He smiled at her. "After all her travels with me, everything that she's seen... Frankie Mitchell was the one person who could keep her."

She nodded, shocked, realising just how much the future changed, and she asked, looking at him again, "What about the alternate timeline?"

"It still exists. That's where she went. As tempting as it was to adapt to a new timeline with your Archaeologist, there's no place like home."

"Are you still in touch with her?"

He looked at her for a moment. "You don't need to stay in touch with her, Sam. You have her during the most precious time of her life." He smiled as he touched her shoulder. "And..." he grinned. "... you're going to watch her grow into a strong, beautiful... fantastic human being."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Daniel stood on the other side of room, the reception happening around him, as he darkly brooded on seeing the Doctor with Sam, both talking animatedly. He glared even harder on seeing the Doctor hug Sam, feeling his wife's happiness. He turned away, trying hard not to be bitter about it when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned, seeing Jack, who remarked,

"Jealous much?"

Daniel shook his head, and Jack continued, "Well, you're certainly not overjoyed that the man in brown is back in town." He patted his shoulder. "Just don't go zapping him... your missus isn't going to like that." On seeing Daniel trying hard to look neutral, Jack said with a shrug, "Hey, look at it this way... she chose you, didn't she?"

Daniel, seething, almost hissed, "Thanks Jack... that really helps." The Archaeologist quietly stormed out, and Sheppard, looking after him in concern, asked, letting go of Elizabeth's hand, "General?"

Jack turned back from where Daniel had been and remarked with a shrug, "He and the Doctor have a history."

0o0o0o0o0o0

After being thanked and congratulated by others, and after the Doctor had moved on to chat to House, Sam left the hubbub, noise and light on sensing something sadly all too familiar. She found Daniel leaning over a balcony, looking down into the water, his shoulders sunken. Sighing softly, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, and whispered in his ear as she hugged him tight,

"What makes you think that a 900 year old Time Lord has anything over you?"

_'Oh Sam... I see how you talk to him... how you look at him. And it kills me inside. It kills me to think how happy he makes you... and how unhappy I repeatedly appear to make you. He gives you something that I can't... and I don't even know what that is. I just know that I don't have it. I'm sorry.'_

She pulled the front of his shirt out of the trousers of his tuxedo and rubbed his stomach as she rested her head against his. '_Idiot. You know how I feel about you. It makes me laugh sometimes... and sad too, how despite being a psychic, you still doubt how I feel. I'm not in love with the Doctor. He's an amazing man, but I know someone who surpasses 'amazing'... who makes me feel... God, I can't describe how you make me feel._' She kissed his ear. _'All I can say is that if I could change anything... and I believe that we're both now in that situation where we could... I'd never change a thing.' _She paused._ 'Maybe the number of times you've died... because they really did bite...'_

She continued, aloud but whispering, "I would really like to have enough faith in you as a human being to know that you trust me."

"God, Sam... I trust you with my life."

She rested her chin on his shoulder and looked at him as he refused to meet her gaze. "Do you? Do you really? 'cos despite what Jack says, married life isn't like being on SG-1." She paused again. "Anyway, what I meant to say was that I'd like to think that you would trust me... have enough trust in my integrity... in my love for you, that you would trust me with another man. I trust you, Daniel. I don't get all recalcitrant on seeing you with Carolyn, Vala or Cassie. You know why? Because you're a good person."

He looked at her, dismayed. "I do think... no, I know that you're a good person, and I do trust you. It's him that I have problems with."

She sighed. "Maybe you weren't listening. I did say Vala, didn't I?" She continued rubbing his stomach. '_We both know that she had feelings for you... but I don't storm off in a huff when you talk to her. She's our friend... in different ways to each of us. The Doctor... ok, I don't want to show off but... I don't return his feelings, Daniel. How could I, when I have everything that I ever could want, and so much more? I wish you would stop being so insecure. You know how I feel and yet you still act like this._' She kissed his neck. _'Just be nice to him. He's only dropping in for the weddings and to catch up. Funnily enough, there isn't a great big catastrophe in his wake.'_

He turned to gaze at her, hurt and pain in his eyes in amongst his love for her, and she gently kissed him as she smiled slightly at him, feeling his pain. _'Idiot.'_

He touched her cheek, gazing at her in wonder, the wonder overcoming the pain. "I'm sorry."

She smiled at him, sensing that he was giving himself a good talking to. "Apology accepted, you crazy Archaeologist." Her smile widened. "I'll give you something else for you to be at loggerheads with him over... he doesn't like Archaeologists." She chuckled. "He points and laughs at them, apparently."

He eventually smiled after a pensive moment. "I imagine he would, being a time traveller."

He hugged her and whispered, gently nuzzling her neck, "You know I'm sorry don't you? It's just that..."

She ran her fingers through his hair as they gazed at each other. "I know." She smiled cheekily. "Empaths, remember?" Chuckling softly, she tucked his shirt back into his trousers and remarked with a little raise of her eyebrows, "Jack's face would be priceless... and everyone else's if you went in with your shirt untucked. All those dirty minds." She kissed him when he lowered his head out of embarrassment, his cheeks red, and she asked, touching his jaw,

"Do you want to go back in just yet?"

He sighed. "I don't know." He looked at her eventually. "Maybe in a minute?"

She smiled at him and said, leaning over the balcony, "Alrighty then."

He said, concerned, leaning next to her, "You don't have to wait with this idiot."

She shrugged, looking at him with a sober mask before breaking into a smile again, "Might as well hang out with the grand master." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm fed up of being the General... let Jack and General Landry do it for now."

Amused as he put an arm around her, he remarked, gazing down at her, "You know that you can call him Hank now?"

She shrugged. "It feels too weird."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Balancing two plates from the buffet, and managing to dodge his squealing son being pinned down by Charlotte and Helen while Grace sat on him, tickling him into submission with a determined expression that the Colonel knew all too well from his CO, Cam looked around the room for his wife. He sighted her talking to a progressively reddening Jennifer, and he hesitated, unsure of whether he would be intruding. Just then, a giggling Francis called from the floor between bouts of squealing and giggling,

"Daddy!"

Cam retorted, "You should have thought of that before you set the Carter-Jackson bulldog on yourself."

Chuckling, he reached the women, just as Jennifer looked as though she was finding an excuse – any excuse – to leave, the Colonel nodding at her. As Vala sat down, he asked, kneeling by her chair as he gave her a plate,

"You ok?"

Vala nodded, looking invigorated from the party and the people... the many opportunities of both embarrassment and friendship. "Never better, Cameron." They kissed, and she asked, "Aren't you going to rescue our boy from the mad fair-haired progeny of an Archaeologist and an Astrophysicist?"

He chuckled as he pulled up a chair. "Give it a minute. It'll teach him to think she won't fight back 'cos of being a girl. Can totally see Sam doing that when she was that age. Mark must have great stories to tell."

"Hmm, I'll bet." She sighed and then smiled, nudging him. "Our wedding was great, wasn't it?"

He looked down at his plate for a moment, grinning and then at his wife. "Oh yeah... and it took one take... although there was that crazy woman who'd got the wrong church."

They chuckled, and she said, resting her head on his shoulder as she put her plate down, "Yeah... and if I hadn't been carrying Francis, I would have flattened her."

Putting his own plate down, he put an arm around her and asked, holding her other hand, "How about we go to Shawnee when get home again? Mom's dying to see our Sammy, and Francis. L'il grandma's boy, that one."

She closed her eyes for a moment. "Yeah, that would be great. Your mother certainly has some interesting stories." She sighed and he tightened his hold on her hand.

"What's up?"

She shook her head. "I just miss Samantha... our Samantha. We could have been home before now if Samantha the first hadn't been presumed dead."

"Yeah, well, it isn't her fault. It's these jobs we have... they... never mind tempting fate, they outright body tackle it." He tightened his hold on her. "We'll be home tomorrow and give our baby girl the biggest hug she can take."

"I hope so." She sighed and smiled, looking up at him. "Do you think Daniel's jealous again?"

He rolled his eyes. "_That_ man. To be honest, if I was Sam, I'd be hunkering after some Time Lord love rather than be with that insecure idiot. He's scared of losing her but he keeps doing something to lose her somehow."

"Hm." She nudged him, a cheeky glint in her eyes. "So you prefer the rather dapper Doctor over me?"

He kissed her. "Like that would happen... you've got a better car."

She laughed and then watched as the Doctor passed them, smiling and nodding in their direction. Cam raised his eyebrows on watching her watch the Doctor, following her gaze to the Doctor's backside. He cleared his throat. "That was hardly inconspicuous."

She shrugged. "He's cute. Obviously not as cute as you... and he is rather lacking in the physiological department. I like meat on my men."

He reddened and then laughed along with her as she rested her hand on his knee. She sighed and he threaded his fingers through hers as they, through the people passing in front of them, saw Francis manage to overcome Grace, tickling her, which resulted in the little boy being kicked in the face by the now angry toddler. The Mitchells exchanged a glance and Vala quickly patted her husband's knee before he went to their son's aid.

Cam quickly swooped up a wailing Francis, remarking as Grace angelically smiled up at her uncle, "Francis... what did I tell you about picking on someone with 'Carter' in their name? You're lucky she isn't bigger."

As Francis bawled on his shoulder, he touched his son's cheek and then picked up a suddenly sombre Grace. He looked at his third youngest godchild and remarked with a characteristic glare, "And what would your Daddy say if he saw that, huh? You gonna say sorry?"

Grace shook her head adamantly. "Franci' chas'd me."

Doing his best not to smile, he asked, "And if he says sorry first, are you gonna say sorry for Karate Kidding him?"

Grace nodded as she clung onto him, and Cam looked down at his son. "Francis? Say sorry to Grace for chasing her."

Francis, still tearful, peeked over at Grace from his father's shoulder as he whispered, "Sorry, Grace."

Cam then looked at Grace, who said in a whisper as she rested her head on Cam's shoulder, "So'ee."

"Now Francis, Gracie, shake hands."

The children hesitated before shaking hands, and Cam said with a grin, wondering how Daniel had so much difficulty in negotiations, "That's what I'm talkin' about! Gracie, you wanna keep playin'?"

Grace nodded as she turned quickly, looking for Helen, Charlotte, and Samantha Beckett-McKay. Smiling slightly, he carefully helped her down onto the floor, watching the little Carter-Jackson charge over to the other girls, and Cam remarked with a little smile as he made his way back to his wife,

"You know, son... there are a few things you're gonna have to learn about women... Carter women in particular. I'll tell you when you're older... if your Mom doesn't get to it first, which I'm sure she will... and a whole lotta stuff you shouldn't know about out 'til you're Uncle Jack's age at least."

Smiling, he handed the now subdued little boy to Vala, the dark-haired alien holding Francis in her lap as she asked, checking his face, "What did I tell you about fights, young man? Give as good as you get, if not better."

Cam, frowning from his seat, remarked, "Baby, ix-nay on the..." on seeing her confused look, he rolled his eyes. "We talked about this. He's not gonna be picking fights. He's already a l'il troublemaker."

Vala looked at him as if he was insane and retorted, "Would you rather your son got beaten up? He just got hit by a toddler..." she smiled proudly. "... who incidentally was taught everything she knows by me..." her smile faded. "... but that's beside the point. Our little boy needs to know how to fight."

"He can when he's older. Come on, we agreed... he's gotta grow up first. Let him be a kid."

"It can't hurt teaching him some moves for Kindergarten."

"Vala..."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Jonas, beaming from a conversation with the Doctor, turned to see Carolyn stood by a window, by herself, looking out at the Lantaean nightscape. The Kelownan made his excuses and was about to join his wife when he got waylaid by Landry. The old General said, a little mistrust of his son-in-law still in his eyes even after all the time that had elapsed since Jonas and Carolyn had initially embarked on their relationship,

"How's it going?"

Jonas, distracted, replied as he glanced at Carolyn to make sure she was still where he had seen her initially, "Uh... yeah, great. How are you?"

"Fine thanks. You know, when Carolyn was a baby, her mother would never agree to leave her anywhere. I don't know how you persuaded her not to..."

Jonas' attention snapped immediately back to his father-in-law, and he replied defensively but politely, "With all respect, we decided as a couple, and I'll have you know that it was, ah, the hardest, ah, decision either of us have, ah, ever had to make."

The two men stared at each other in quiet defiance and Jonas straightened up, saying as he steeled himself, "Now... if you don't mind, I'm going to see my wife."

Before Landry could reply, Jonas walked away calmly, clearing his throat to cover a little laugh of triumph at finally standing up to his father-in-law. The old General stared after him for a moment and then smiled before walking away.

Jonas said as he stood in front of Carolyn, leaning near the window as he touched her jaw, "Hey."

She looked at him, startled initially, and she smiled, shaking her head. He gently kissed her and then whispered in her ear, "Your Dad was guilt-tripping me again about Henry."

She sighed and she asked, trying to look neutral as sadness seeped into her features, "Do you think I'm being unreasonable? I know he's thousands of light years away, which is actually only an extra long 'gate trip away, but it just doesn't seem right."

He held her hands tightly, feeling her pain. "We'll see him again tomorrow... I'll, ah, just make sure no-one dies or goes missing tonight. The Doctor being here is rather, ah, tempting fate."

She nodded, looking down, and he touched her jaw tenderly, smoothing it. "He's safer on Earth... we both know it." Noticing that her eyes had closed as she tried to hold back her tears, the medic looking very fragile, he wrapped his arms around her, his wife resting her head against his shoulder as he smoothed her hair, feeling sad himself.


	34. Saving Grace Jackson

_Wee spoiler for season 4 of Doctor Who in here, but it's too cryptic to be that shocking._

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sometime later, the Doctor stepped out of the party inconspicuously, to find Charlotte and Grace struggling to peek over a balcony. At one point, the third youngest Carter-Jackson climbed on Charlotte's shoulders with a determined expression and the Time Lord quickly stepped in. Grabbing Grace as she almost fell headlong over the balcony, a shy Charlotte running back in, the Doctor remarked, his face defiant as Grace suddenly looked shy too,

"Now... you're not going to do that are you? Not this time around. Because you know what happens? Your Mum comes to hang out with me because her and your Dad can't handle the guilt." He continued in a softer tone of voice as he smoothed Grace's cheek when she smiled at him. "And I never get the best mostly human companion I've ever had." He smiled briefly. "I say _mostly_ human because we both know your Mum's pretty amazing, and more Ancient than you are." He looked up briefly. "Hmm. Actually, I think you're more Ancient than she is, being the product of your father when he was an Elder and your Mum right after she got her powers." He smiled again. "Maths was always more your thing." He looked at her sternly. "No more doing stupid things like sitting on daughters of expedition leaders, ok? I don't want the timeline messed up again."

When she kissed him on the cheek, he smiled and continued, "Our little secret, ok?" She nodded, putting her finger to her lips, and he remarked, fascinated, "You're incredibly intelligent for a human being... I bet you can understand everything I'm saying and it's not because of your Ancient genes."

She beamed at him, not saying a word, and he said, still holding her, "Come on, Grace Carter-Jackson... you have a whole life ahead of you in which you are going to see more of the universe than even I ever will, and you're going to break so many hearts along the way." She gurgled, making noises as she put her mouth on his shoulder, and he grimaced.

"Ok... now your dribble on this well-travelled coat has just given me something else to tease you about when you start ordering me about... for goodness sake, it's _my_ TARDIS. Your people were swinging from trees when mine were exploring the universe... Oh, your mother's face on seeing Gallifrey."

He smiled when she blew a raspberry in reply, and he continued as they entered the party once again, "You don't say much do you? I wonder if the verbal diarrhoea you'll get when you're older is from your Dad. That aggressiveness is definitely from your Mum. That Sontaran never knew what hit him when he faced her in battle."

0o0o0o0o0o0

After the party, some of the guests staying up to drink and share stories as Daniel left for his and Sam's quarters in a sullen mood with Grace, Sam, in civilian clothes, slipped out to go for a walk. Staring out at the water in the Lantaean night, she finally allowed herself to cry. Wrapping her arms around herself, tears ran down her cheeks as she closed her eyes, wondering what she was going to do about Daniel's self doubt.

She felt him attempt to enter her mind and she quickly blocked him. Feeling him back away, she whispered silently, '_How could you, Daniel? How could you? You don't understand the pain and the trials that I have had to go through to keep a hold of you. I don't care what you think... that you're not worthy, because you are. You so definitely are worth it. I just wish you'd believe it._'

She closed her eyes, blocking him again, not wanting to hear his reply, and she sighed. She rolled her head up and looked up at the countless stars, the many Lantaean constellations that she and McKay had mapped a long time ago, and she sniffed, releasing a shuddering breath.

"Beautiful, isn't it? No matter where you go, no matter the colour of the sky, the stars are always show-stopping."

Startled at not having sensed him first, she straightened up to see the Doctor watching her with concern, and he continued, looking solemn as he offered her his hand, "Let's go for a walk, General. All that emotion's doing my head in."

Smiling slightly as she dried her tears, she took his hand and they went for a walk along the waterfront. After a long moment, he said with a sigh that she only heard mentally,

"Funny thing about men like Daniel... they're always going to be insecure."

She remarked with a wistful expression, her voice rough from the crying earlier, "Tell me about it."

"... but he's forgetting one thing. Right now, you're post-natal too. He's not dealing with it very well, and you... my wonderful General are only hanging on by your fingertips because you're always thinking of him." They stopped and he gazed at her in the soft light emanating from the City. "Come away with me."

She blinked in surprise, and then smiled sympathetically. "Doctor, I would love to but..."

"Oh! Don't say 'no'. I never had this much trouble with other humans."

She sighed as she met his gaze. "Maybe that's because I'm not like your other companions."

He smiled briefly. "Don't I know it."

She suddenly looked curious. "I travelled... or rather did travel with you, didn't I?"

He nodded, his smile gone again. She asked, "Did you ever find River again?"

He shook his head and looked down. "No... no... not yet. I don't even know where I found her... but apparently I knew where to look when I did. Screwdriver still looks the same. I suppose I'll know when my screwdriver's been..." he grinned. "... re-MacGyvered."

She chuckled, remarking, "The number of times we've mentioned that guy..."

"I know." She gazed at him, looking thoughtful, and he said, giving her hands a squeeze as his face lit up in a way that reminded her of Daniel, "The thing is General... I really would love to travel with you. We could see the Singing Towers of Daryllium, the Library... which is a lot more interesting and a lot less tedious now that it's been fixed... Bellopheron, Kantra, the gold whirlpools of Catrigan Nova, the massive data banks of Biblios, the sapphire waterfall of Midnight..." He paused when he noticed something in her eyes, and he said with another silent sigh that she only heard telepathically,

"It doesn't get you does it?"

She smiled, a hint of weariness and pain on her face as she squeezed his hands in reply. "It does get me... believe me, it does."

_'Go for it, Sam...'_

'_Daniel, didn't anyone tell you it's rude to eavesdrop?_'

_'Some mad Astrophysicist did a few times.'_

'_Shh._'

'_But Sam..._'

_'No... quiet.'_

"... It's just that..." she sighed. "It's too early. I really would love to do it someday though. For the time being, Daniel needs me and we're bringing up our babies. I've missed too much of Cammie and James when they were little." She smiled.

_'Sam... you don't have to do this for me. I don't need your pity.'_

_'For cryin' out loud, it's not pity. Don't you realise that I really do want to be with you? God, you are hard work emotional.'_

"... Maybe you could drop by in a few years time. Daniel's not going to be any less insecure. Hopefully he will have learnt a few things by then."

The Doctor looked deflated, and she continued, touching his cheek as she smiled, "Come on Doctor, I'm going the slow way. You just have to step into the TARDIS and you'll be there in seconds."

"But it's not the same and you know it..." he touched her cheek slowly, memorising every part of her face, right down to the smallest of details. "... Samantha." He hesitated from adding the prefix 'my', unsure of how she would take it.

Sensing the conflict beneath the surface, she kissed him on the cheek and asked as he looked shocked at the gesture, "So... is this it then?"

He shrugged and replied eventually, "For now... for you at least." He grimaced. "I really would like you to come."

She smiled. "I know... and I would love to go. It's just the time's not right. I really do want to enjoy a few years at least with Daniel... and our babies. These first five years of marriage have been pretty rocky with everything... deaths, ascensions... deaths."

He raised his eyebrows. "That would rock anything." He smiled. "Well... that's probably my cue to take stage right and bow out for this Act. What do you say?"

She chuckled at the theatrical euphemisms. "I'd say that you've been hanging around Captain Jack too much."

He suddenly looked ebullient. "Oh, you can't hang around him too much! That's impossible." He grimaced again. "Actually... now that you mention it..." He looked back at her, solemn again. "Have a great life, Samantha."

She continued to hold his hands, reluctant to let him go, her eyes moist again. "You too, Doctor." She pressed her lips together briefly. "I hope you find a companion soon. You shouldn't have to be on your own... and you need someone to bring a human point of view along... because I know you. Sometimes you forget, and you're so driven by anger that you... do some pretty horrible things."

He nodded. "My next companion's going to be you. Wait and see." He grinned, offering her his arm. "Wanna walk me to the TARDIS?"

She remarked, laughing in amusement as she feigned a southern accent, "Why, I do declare, Mr Doctor..."

They both laughed as they went back in, holding hands, when suddenly the Doctor stopped. She looked at him curiously and he said frantically, sprinting through the base,

"Someone's in the TARDIS!"

Sam, running after him as passers-by looked on in curiosity, called, "Wait, how is that possible!?"

"Oh! Someone always finds a way! I wish they'd tell me though so I wouldn't look like a complete twit when I manage to lock myself out after participating in VE Day celebrations..."

0o0o0o0o0o0

The Doctor and Sam came to a skidding halt in front of the TARDIS, the tall blue box's windows emanating a bright white light. He attempted to open the door with his key but was thrown onto his back by an unseen force, his key now white hot. He let go of the key, grimacing in pain and shock, and Sam raised her hands, frowning as she fought back tears.

_'Daniel! For God's sake, what are you doing?!'_

Powerful bursts of white light shot from her hands as she concentrated, glowing tears running down her cheeks. The Doctor, still on the floor and still shocked, watched the scene with a horrified fascination, eventually encouraging her. She closed her eyes as she concentrated even harder and at long last, the doors flung open, white light bathing both him and Sam, as well as the Jacks, Landry, Hammond, Cam, Jonas, Teal'c, Ferretti, Teyla, Ronon, and a hastily dressed Sheppard, Elizabeth, Lorne, Jennifer, McKay and Carson.

Sam slowly walked into the light, followed by the Doctor as the others stood, confused and fascinated. Eventually the white light disappeared and visible, in a crumpled heap on the TARDIS floor, was Daniel, his hand still on the controls of the ship. Shocked, Sam immediately rushed to his aid, saying as she held him in her arms, tears running down her cheeks as she checked him over,

"Daniel! Oh God, please, no."

The Doctor said grimly as he reset several controls, "Looks like he was trying to go back to 2011... using the heart of the TARDIS." He glanced at where the floor had been fixed again by Sam's powers and he frowned in confusion as he looked at Sam, who replied with shuddering breaths as Carson and the Jacks rushed in, the Astrophysicist running her fingers through his hair,

"That's when he Ascended... again."

Kneeling at Daniel's side as Carson examined the Archaeologist, the medic summoning a medical team, Sam whispered, looking down at her husband as she realised just why he had tried to go to that time period, "Idiot... you big idiot. I hate you."

0o0o0o0o0o0

The Doctor sat with Sam at Daniel's bedside in the Sick Bay as she held her husband's hand to her lips, watching his unconscious form for any sign of change. He said softly,

"No human... not even a Time Lord can fully absorb the energy at the heart of the TARDIS." He sighed. "I'm surprised that his mind hasn't burnt out. It should have with all that knowledge of the past, present and the future."

The General looked at him, upset as she asked, "Is he going to be alright?"

He shrugged. "Absolutely no idea... I've never seen this stage before." Patting her shoulder, he continued, "I think the odds are in his favour though." He paused. "One question... why 2011?"

She replied quietly, still watching Daniel as she felt a quiet but definite flow of emotions and thoughts from him, many of them seemingly random, "It's the year I had Grace. I think he was trying to change things to stop himself from coming back. His fucking twisted logic..." she glanced at the Time Lord and apologised for her use of bad language as he looked amused for a moment.

She continued, holding Daniel's hand tighter, "He thinks I'll be happier with you... and you know what?" She looked at the Doctor apologetically. "No offence, but I wouldn't be."

He nodded solemnly. "None taken... I have first-hand knowledge, so believe me when I say that what you've said isn't a surprise."

Curious again as well as upset, she asked, glancing at him, "What were we like in that future?"

He replied, looking nostalgic and thoughtful as he looked across the Sick Bay, away from her, "Brilliant... the running, the fighting, the... everything." He smiled slightly, pain in his eyes as he looked back at her again. "But you were never mine. No matter what I did, no matter where we went, your heart was always Daniel's. He honestly doesn't know how much of a lucky man he is to have your heart... and I will do everything in my power to beat some sense into him... without violence of course."

She finally let Daniel's hand go as she rested her head on the Doctor's shoulder and whispered as he put an arm around her, "I wish I could make him believe it."

"To be honest, I'm surprised he hasn't figured it out already... I mean, you're telepaths!"

She shrugged. "Classic Daniel."

He smiled. "Ah yes, the reprobate twit who..." She looked at him oddly, and he continued, rolling his eyes,_ "Fine..._ misguided then. Look, just give him a good talking to... I'll do it too. That should sort him out. You know, humans used to be so simple... the last thing you need is someone like Daniel Jackson with telepathy and empathy. He doesn't believe himself... which is disturbing to say the least._"_


	35. Nightmare

Dark images, wild nightmares, the unimaginable presented themselves to his subconscious mind. Things even he had never seen, or thought were possible, were suddenly very vivid. Flashing before him were images of the past, of the present, of the future, and of what should be, the vast array of images changing too fast for him to comprehend fully what he was seeing.

These new... impossibilities and curiosities for lack of more descriptive terms then mixed with his own ever present nightmares. At once, he was being electrocuted by a Dalek in the Honduran jungle; watching Sam being made into a Cyberman; watching her flesh being stripped from her bones within seconds by an unseen force in the shadows; watching, helpless again, as his children were abducted by the Goa'uld and the Trust; watching as Sam and James were implanted with Amaunet and Klorel; watching Oma take James and Greg from him after showing him that he was foolish to even think that he could take care of them; seeing Sam take the Doctor's hand and enter the TARDIS without looking back...

Shadows and flames passed before his eyes, dark horses galloping in a raging tempest. As raindrops that felt like acid fell onto a dark, barren landscape in which he was stranded, he cried out, calling the one name that he would never have difficulty calling out,

"Sam!"

And suddenly everything around him melted into the darkness, around his trembling form, burning tears on his face as he felt a loneliness and despair that he hadn't felt in many, many years. His surroundings then filled with light and sound, and seconds later, he realised that he was on his back. Seconds after that, he realised further that he was in a medical facility of some kind. It took him a good couple of minutes to realise just which medical facility, having not been treated on Atlantis before.

He groaned, his heart feeling as though it was overflowing with a painful darkness that would hurt anyone it touched, and he eventually looked to his left to see Sam fast asleep on none other than the Doctor's shoulder. The Time Lord remarked, sounding cheerful but looking none too impressed,

"Well, if it isn't the reprobate. Welcome back."

Daniel, hurt even more, looked back up at the ceiling as Carson appeared. "Aye, if he pulls that again, you can hold him down while me and the General beat the living snot out of him."

Carson shined her penlight into each of the Archaeologist's eyes, asking as she looked increasingly sceptical, "How are you feeling?"

Daniel replied hoarsely, looking away from her, "I don't know."

Carson looked across at the Doctor for clarification, the Time Lord shrugging with his free shoulder, and the medic asked Daniel, "What's the last thing you remember?"

Daniel closed his eyes and replied, frowning as he tried to remember, "A bright light... burning the inside of my head. It felt a bit like a ribbon device."

As the Doctor grimaced, Carson remarked, looking testy, "You know, sonny, if you wanted to be the self-sacrificing romantic, you could have done it another day instead of on my wedding night. Actually, I'm glad that you have... because it's a blank cheque for some borderline torturing on my part... and wait 'til John and Rodney drop by. Just you wait." Daniel was disturbed to say the least on seeing an almost maniacal glint in the medic's eyes.

Before Daniel could apologise, everyone but the Doctor were startled by the sound of a loud clanging, the General waking up to see House at the foot of Daniel's bed with his cane again. The SGC CMO then whacked the Archaeologist across the legs with it and remarked to Carson as Daniel grimaced in pain,

"I'll join you in the group torturing session."

0o0o0o0o0o0

After what seemed like everyone in the City coming to threaten the Archaeologist, Sam was finally left alone with her husband as the Doctor ducked out for a while under the guise of an experiment to see how much he could flirt with Carson before McKay reached boiling point and actually hit him. Looking at Daniel's back, the Archaeologist having turned away from her, upset, she said, resting her elbows on his bed,

"Daniel... I don't know what to do." She sniffed, forcing herself not to cry. "Why can't you understand that I love you? Why can't you believe in yourself enough to understand why I love you? The Doctor has a point... you're a telepath and an empath, for crying out loud."

He turned back to face her, looking angry, mostly at himself. "You don't get it, do you, Sam!? I'm not worth it! I never was! How many times have I hurt you in the past? I always seem to find a way to hurt you! How does that make me worth it!? You just seem to think I'm some kind of amazing saint who can walk on water, but for God's sake Sam, I'm only human. Who did you cheese off in a past life to be lumped with me?"

He turned away from her, his arms folded across his chest, not wanting her to see his own tears as she began to cry again. "How the hell can you say that?! Daniel, please... listen to me. I know what you're going through... and the Doctor's timing couldn't be worse, I know." She sighed. "You're not a freaking saint, Daniel. Get a grip, you fucking idiot. You just seem to think that everything's your fault and if I have to tell you one more time that it isn't, I'm going to beat Jack in getting to be the one to finally kill you." She clenched her fists. "God, sometimes you just piss me off so bad, Daniel Jackson... and what makes you different from other guys is that it isn't even a concerted effort. Oh, if I was your mother, I would have been sorely tempted to put you up for adoption."

He, now very angry, turned back to her, the Astrophysicist now wishing she hadn't said that last part at least. "I can't believe you threw my own mother in my face! You of all people, Sam! God, you know more than anyone else how losing my parents changed my life! While we're at this stage, I really wish you had turned out to be my sister, then I wouldn't have an excuse to stick around any longer!"

She shot back, neither Jackson noticing the growing audience at the doorway, "How the hell can you say that?!" Her shoulders slumped. "Look, I'm sorry for what I said about your Mom, but for crying out loud, will you at least stop turning everything into an argument when I'm trying to get you to understand something that you don't want to!?"

"Understand!? What is there to understand?! You obviously think so much of me that you can't bear the thought of the Doctor going!"

"Oh! I knew it! You're jealous!"

"_I'm_ your husband, not him! If you weren't so busy trying to save everyone else, you'd see that!"

Her heart breaking again, more tears rolled down her cheeks as his anger began to wane, she said, upset, "How could you, Daniel? Are you going to think that every man I talk to, that I'm friends with, is someone I'm having an affair with?!" He looked ready to apologise but she, angry again as well as overwhelmingly sad, took her wedding and engagement rings off, and her St Christopher, putting them into his hand as she said softly, "I can't wear these any more if you don't trust me, Daniel."

He tried to give them back, to apologise for his behaviour but she shook her head and left the Sick Bay as he called her name, the crowd parting for her.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sam curled up on the bed in hers and Daniel's quarters, sobbing as Atlantis received its first rainfall in many years. The explosion of pain and long dormant and active memories of losing Daniel mapped itself onto the Lantaean atmosphere, resulting in torrential downpours with the threat of a major storm. Despite this, the others were surprised to discover that the City remained shielded, the current shields being boosted by an unknown power source.

The General, startled, sat up on feeling someone touch her hair, to see older-Daniel sat on the edge of her bed. She closed her eyes, unable to stop crying as she said between sobs,

"You're the last person I want to see right now."

The older-Daniel from the future of the original timeline held her shuddering form in his arms as he said, looking overwhelmingly sad as well as angry at his younger self's foolishness, "He's a fool... it took finally losing you with no hope of you ever coming back, for me to realise just how much you meant to me, how you gave so much and took things you shouldn't have had to take." He sighed. "I agree with him... seeing as he's me anyway. You've always deserved better."

She punched him but he didn't stop holding her as she retorted angrily, almost hysterical, "Stop it! Just stop it, Daniel!"

He kissed her hair. "Before you say it... I do understand... and I wish to God that I could go back with the knowledge that I have now, and relive those years so I could save you and have a second chance, so I could tell you exactly what you mean to me. The truth is, I do trust you. I trust you with my life... I trust you with everything. You're the first person since Sha're who has my heart and I couldn't be more honoured that you of all people have it. I just wish he could tell you how he feels about you instead of being a fool. We came back to save you so everything could be great again, instead of Cammie being emotionally damaged, and me being alone for the next twenty years." He sighed. "The thing is, those eighteen years that I spent being a widower again gave me a whole new perspective... I realised that I was a better human being for all the love you gave me, and if I didn't think I deserved your love when we were carrying Cammie and James, I do now. You made me who I am."

Still crying his arms, she whispered, "What about the Doctor?"

"What did I say about trust, Sam?" he touched her cheek. "So many men were enchanted by you... your beauty, your intelligence... the way you had of doing the impossible... you could have had any of them, but you chose me. I couldn't have been prouder. If that it isn't a confidence booster, I don't know what is." His gaze became more distant as he rubbed her shoulder. "Sometimes, I remember, when I would wake up in the morning, it felt as though it was all a dream... and then I would feel you in my arms, or see your head on my chest." He smiled sadly. "I was glad that it wasn't... and despite everything, I would never change a moment of those times, not one second of those blissful memories that I have of you." His voice began to wobble with emotion and she, worried despite her own tears, got up onto her knees and pulled him into her arms as he rested his head against her shoulder.

"I wish I could give that bastard a shake and make him realise a few things... it's killing me now to think that all that we did to save you here was for nothing."

0o0o0o0o0o0

"Well, you've really gone and done it this time, Space Monkey. If you really wanted a divorce and half the house, you could have at least made it interesting, like sleeping your way through the SGC, but oh no... you have to make it all about you..."

A fuming Jack smacked Daniel across the head, the Archaeologist still in the Sick Bay as House, Cam, Teal'c and the Doctor looked on approvingly at the old General's methods of persuasion.

"... What I did I tell you before about hurting Carter? If she doesn't get there first, I get to kill you – it's all in your pre-nups. And believe me, nothing would give me more pleasure at the moment. I'm just surprised Jacob hasn't dropped in to show you what his glow balls of fury can do."

"What did I tell you about jumping the gun, Jack? Oh... always so hasty..."

They all looked in surprise at Jacob as he stood behind Jack, remarking with a stern expression as he looked down at his now scared son-in-law, "So Danny... word is that you don't trust my daughter. You don't know how I would love to zap you right now, but the Others won't let me. You're just lucky that you're still an unofficial Elder... or so help me God, I would kill you right now for hurting Sam like you have."

Daniel replied weakly, looking away from them, "It just proves my point... she deserves better than me."

Jack looked up at Jacob from his seat, the Ascended Carter nodding, and the old General punched the Archaeologist in the side as said Archaeologist began to cry again, not objecting to the punches. "You know... I was happy for you... eventually that the first non-homicidal woman you've fallen for since Sha're made you so happy. Truth be told, you're not gonna find better than Carter, no matter how hard you look... and if _you _don't believe in yourself, what kind of an example does that set for your kids? If our Jimmy Osmond has one of those crisis thingies, you're going to be a hypocrite when you try to boost his self-esteem."

Daniel remained immobile and Jack, frustrated, uttered an expletive before storming out and as Teal'c was about to step forward to persuade the Archaeologist, in his own way, the Doctor said, "Let me do it... seeing as it seems to be about me... somewhat." The Time Lord grimaced, and Teal'c nodded, Cam patting the Gallifreyan on the shoulder in encouragement as House looked on with guarded interest.

The Doctor said, pointing in the general direction of the door with his head, "Right, you lot, out." He looked at a sceptical Jacob with a small smile. "Including you, Sir."

Jacob returned the smile and left with the others who were beginning to think, or hope at least, that the Doctor would actually use some latent superhuman violence on the Archaeologist. Checking that everyone was gone and that he and Daniel were in fact alone, the Doctor returned to Daniel's bedside and said with a sigh,

"Daniel, Daniel, Daniel... if you keep giving her away, you're going to lose her for good... if you haven't just done it already." He looked down at his hands. "I've lost Sam before and it's not good." He finally met Daniel's gaze, the Archaeologist seeing the hurt in his eyes. "You know how I feel about her... you're an empath. You don't realise that you're picking up my emotions – it's an instinct with you. You just know."

Daniel turned away, angry as well as in pain, and the Doctor continued, "But out of both of us, you were the one who made her truly happy. You loved her more than anyone could, you gave her the children she thought she would never have... but most of all, you were there for her..." he grimaced. "... well, mostly. My point is... don't give up on something good, because believe me, you'll lose it all too quickly and realise just what you've lost when you get to something like my age, and you're alone." He sighed again. "Out of every human, alien... thing that I have encountered, Samantha Carter-Jackson has got to be the most unique, the most wonderful... the most brilliant... and the most yours. Now that I've fixed things somewhat, I doubt that she will ever travel with me like she did, and I knew the risks when I changed the timeline... but it was for the greater good, because for all of those years, it was always you... _always_. She's not stupid... and denying your worthiness of her love is a sure-fire way to call her that."

Looking at Daniel's back for a long moment, he began to look hopeful and he got up and left the Sick Bay, remarking, "Well, I've given you something to think about."

He stopped in the doorway and turned, his face lighting up with an idea. He suddenly grinned and asked, "How about if you travel with me? Come on, it'll be great! I've always wanted to get to know you. Ooh, think of the male bonding..." his smile faded instantly into a stern expression. "Don't think I'm going to be Captain Jack for one second." He grinned again. "Oh, but the travels and... everything. You'll love it... and maybe it'll give you some time to think about everything like it did for Sam."

When Daniel still didn't move, the Doctor continued, his grin fading once again as the room began to darken with Daniel's turbulent emotions, "Well... that's something else for you to think about. Adios."

**-- Fin**

0o0o0o0o0o0

_Wow. I honestly can't believe this story is done already... and that there is more to come. I thought this was just the penultimate story to the big finisher, but as I've come to the end of this one, there's more room for one more sequel at least before the end._

_Thank you so much for reading... and reviewing, favouriting and story alerting. It's been one heck of a story to write. I was originally going to have more House in it but that'll have to wait 'til the sequel... which should be with you rather shortly. Hopefully the sequel will end with a song like I hoped that this one would._

_Until then... watch this space for Jackson Junior: The Doctors Dance_


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